Wiki Pages – Page 19 – Last Hope Larp

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Einherjar’s Vengeance

Bryech crawled his way to the top of the hill before him, Toralf and Thrand to his flanks. The hard packed snow made it impossible to move silently but the noise from the camp on the other side of the hill covered their approach. Crawling only so high that they could get a glance, couldn’t risk getting spotted and losing the element of surprise. Bryech scanned the camp in the depression below. Covered on three sides by hills and to the east opened to a small stream. It was occupied by those responsible for the pain and suffering of several villages in the Eastern Stormjarl territory during the past several months. The Einherjar had been tracking them for the better part of two weeks before finding them here.

“I count thirty in the main body.” Bryech whispered. While these brigands were armed and had shown the willingness for violence, their equipment was basic at best.

“More by the stream, looks like nine, maybe ten.” Thrand responded. Bryech looked to him to show his acknowledgement but Thrand was still scanning. Bryech could see him thinking how they should approach. He had a mind for tactics. Thrand turned to his friend and nodded. Bryech signaled to move back to their position at the bottom of the hill where their warpack was waiting. Fritha and Yrsa were there with the warriors, Lilith, Amiya, and Ylva were preparing healing supplies. Arland as gray as he was kept watch to their south, his bow ready for any unexpected visitors.

“What did you see?” Fritha whispered to the returning party.

“They’ve got forty, give or take a few.” Bryech replied, grabbing his shield from one of the warriors who was holding it for him.

“Numbers wise they have the advantage but they lack the quality of our Drengr.” Bryech continued.

“It will be a worthy fight then.” Toralf chimed in, facing toward the enemy, his excitement quite visible. Bryech smiled and gave a quiet chuckle. He thought the same.

“Thrand, what do you think?” Fritha asked her anticipation apparent as well. Thrand paused for a moment, thinking back to what he saw.

“We have the advantage of the hill, we should double that by hitting them from both sides.” Thrand pointed to the west.

“We can move behind the hill and flank them from the north.” Bryech nodded his agreement.

“Then that’s what we’ll do. Thrand, Toralf, take half the pack and and move to hit them from the far side. The rest of us will stay here and meet you in the middle.”

The group breaks and finishes the last of their preparations. Bryech scans the group one last time before they split. Toralf and Ylva share a moment before he departs, Fritha and Thrand doing the same. Quickly, quietly, and with experienced efficiency the warriors finish their preparations and move to their respective groups. As Thrand takes half around the rest slowly make their way up the hill awaiting the signal from their comrades.

Just below the edge again Bryech waited in anticipation, his attention pulled by the quiet but quickened breathing of Yrsa. As he looked at her he could tell she was fighting her nerves. She was less equipped than most, having only just truly begun as a warrior. Bryech tapped her with the flat of his blade to get her attention and laughed lightly as she jumped. She scowled as she met his gaze thinking he was mocking her.

“Hold onto your courage my friend, and know that if we fall His ears will ring with our names.” His look was meant to be one of reassurance but his helmet kept her from seeing it. She nodded and took a deep breath before adjusting her grip on her sword.

“I’ll stay close to Fritha and with luck not steal all your glory.” She smiled, her confidence rising to the surface behind the jest. Just then the blast of a horn blasted through the quiet. Bryech leapt up, reacting immediately to the signal.

“CHAARGE!!” Bryech roared out his command as a battlecry and rushed down the hill. The combined cry of both groups charging down the hill sent the foe below into a panicked rush of movement. Before either side of the Einherjar force was even half way down the hill the brigands responded with a volley of arrows.

“Shields!” Fritha called out from Bryech’s left. Bryech raised his shield just in time for a series of loud thuds to crash out over the thunder of charging warriors as the arrows covered the hillside.

“Shit,shit,shit,shit!” Bryech heard Yrsa cry out as death rained down around them. Across the field Thrand and Toralf crashed into the foe screaming out commands that could barely be heard over the sounds of battle. Bryech ran into the first bandit he saw using the momentum from the hill to send the man sprawling. Thrusting forward with fervor he pierced the man through his throat before he could recover, a loud gurgling his only response. Diving into the fight Bryech could not help but feel their momentum stall as the bandits continued their barrage of arrows. Several warriors to his right cried out in pain as the volley’s found their mark.

“Shield Wall!” Thand’s voice boomed out over the cacophony. Quickly moving into a more defensive formation the far side continued to press in hoping to keep the initiative. Through bouts of fighting Bryech watched the far side begin to carve through the enemy in droves. Although taking a defensive formation they pushed forward with a violence worthy of song. Hoping to do the same Bryech followed suit.

“South Fang! Sh..OOfh!” Before he could finish his command a hulking beast of a man sent him flying with a swing of a large hammer. Rolling with the hit Bryech winced as his old war wound pulsed pain through his chest. Rising with forced speed and grit Bryech meet the brigands who rushed through the now vacant spot in the skirmish line hoping to envelop their foe on the southern front. Two women ran toward Bryech with small skirmish shields and swords. Recovering from the sharp pain in his chest Bryech pushed to the right hoping to face only one of them at a time. For a few moments the two faltered as they tried to fight around one another. In that time Bryech fought hard against the first woman but her defense was strong and he was unable to defeat her before her counterpart assaulted his shield with a flurry of blows. The three of them went on for some time, neither side gaining the advantage. Bryech could tell they were tiring as their movements slowed; his years of training and experience had led to enough endurance to last through their onslaught. One of the women swung for a wide arcing hit and Bryech lashed forward with a tight cut at her forearm, slicing deep into her skin. The woman screamed in pain as blood soaked her arm and sleeve.

“You bastard!” the other screamed as she launched into a renewed burst of fierce strikes. Her assault put Bryech on the retreat focusing on defense. The momentum was short lived as she again faltered under her mounting fatigue. Scooping forward with his shield Bryech opened her defense and cut deep into her side splitting her armor and sending her entrails pouring out onto the ground. As she fell he followed with another slash across her face, silencing her cries. The second woman now back in the fight screamed at the scene.

“Kara, no!” The woman looked from her fallen friend to Bryech and rushed at him with a furious cry. Her sword in her uninjured hand swung weakly at him. Her strong arm disabled by his previous strike. Bryech swatted her attacks aside with the edge of his shield before running her through. The woman gasped as the pain hit her, dropping her sword to grip at his wrist and forearm. Bryech met her gaze with a snarl

“For Stormjarl.” He growled before punching the edge of his shield into her temple, a resounding crack echoing back as he pulled his sword from her body. Looking back to the fight the large bandit was sowing chaos into the fight. Although the battle bode ill for the bandits the man seemed determined to fight to the last.

“Come on you big bastard!” Bryech yelled as he charged at him. The man turned just in time to catch a slash on his arm. Wincing, the man swung his hammer with one hand nearly striking Bryech in the head. The two exchanged blows, Bryech was faster but the man had strength to him. In only a few blows he shattered Bryech’s shield. Bryech drew his seax in his off hand and continued to trade blows with the man, the fight turning to the bandit now that his shield was gone. The man swung from his side and broke through Bryech’s attempt at a block slamming into his chest and sending him flying back. Bryech’s wound flared again, pain lancing through his chest stealing his breath. Bryech tried to rise but the pain was harder to fight through when he was this tired. The bandit rushed in and swung down looking to finish the fight. Bryech rolled, dodging the blow and taking a wild swing at his opponent’s hands. Bryech’s seax found purchase and the man dropped his hammer in a moment of pain as he pulled back in shock. Bryech pushed up and tried to stab the bandit but his attack wasn’t strong enough to penetrate the man’s armor. Recovering, the bandit grabbed Bryech by the mask of his helm and his belt and threw him. Before Bryech knew what was happening the man was on him raining blows on him with his bare fists. Bryech curled tight hoping to defend himself but the man was too strong.

“Somebody. Get. This. Fucker. Off me!” was all Bryech could yell out as he tried to stop his head from being crushed. Suddenly the blows stopped as a smattering of blood hit Bryech. Looking up, the man had an axe blade buried in his face. Suddenly Thrand appeared, kicking Bryech’s assailant off with a grunt. Reaching down he yelled above the battle.

“On your feet Ulfhednar!” Pulling Bryech to his feet he acknowledged his friend and reentered the fray, Shattering a shield before caving in its wielder’s chest. Collecting his blades Bryech followed and together the Einherjar slaughtered their enemies.

As the battle ended and the cries of the wounded replaced the sounds of combat. Bryech knelt and collected himself. Sore and bloody he rested amongst the carnage and felt the rush of war fade from his mind. His thoughts moved from glory to the aftermath and the bloody justice that still needed to be dealt.

“Toralf, get Ylva and Lillith and have them start tending the wounded and our fallen. The rest of you gather the dead and finish off the rest of these níðingur. We burn them without blessings or speaking their names.” Toralf jogged up the hill breathing heavily from the fight. A yell came from within the warpack.

“Our people are avenged!” The battlecry that followed felt as if it made the earth shake. And together they finished their work burning the corpses of their foes and putting to rest the suffering of the Stormborn Coast.

Bryech sat by the fire later that night in the Einherjar camp taking a watch over their fallen warrior. They wouldn’t dare burn him with their fallen foes. He deserved an honored funeral in Ulvesal where his people could pay their respects. His name was Ervind, he had fought with them since the Grimward Raids. He left behind a son and a mate. It had been some time since Bryech had lost a friend in battle, it was a pain he had been happy to forget. As the camp grew quiet, Bryech looked at his severely damaged helm and thought about the cost of their actions. Without him realizing Thrand, Fritha and Yrsa had joined him. He smiled once he realized his friend’s presence. Fritha handed him a cup and raised her own as the rest of them sat.

“To Ervind Stormjarl, May The Great Wolf’s ears ring with his name.” the rest raised their cups.

“May he be welcomed into his pack, and live forever with his ancestors in the Hunting Grounds” Yrsa finished. The group sat until the next vigil woke and replaced them. Bryech was glad for their turn. It was a good reminder that no matter what Stormjarl faced they would face it together.

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Page 19

Runar

PLAYED BY: Zack Hawkins

CHARACTER NAME: Runar

GENDER: yes plz

PREFFERED PRONOUN(S): He/Him

CLASS: Cleric

AGE: 36

RACE: Ulven

HAIR: Dark Brown

EYES: 2

OCCUPATION: A student and a Chair Maker

KNOWN SKILLS: Chair making, onion harvesting, heavy things carrying, fast swimming, afraid of the dark but good at the daytime

BIRTHPLACE: on an onion farm in nightriver territory

APPEARANCE: thicc

NOTABLE TRAITS: Happy. unless he is sad. Strong hands, but not so good feet. knees are okay

RELATIONSHIPS: Recently enrolled in the university at keys crossing

RUMORS: Good listener, but not great speaker. Also, good taster. Runar loves tasting. Smelling is good too

BIO / BACKGROUND HISTORY:

~~~~~~~~ Part 1 ~~~~~~~~

Gaia’s happy waters

Runar was born in an onion patch, 6 inches from the worms as his mother tells. Weary from her days labor, she didn’t quite make it back to their cabin in time to welcome him to the world, so he started his life in much the same fashion that he would spend his youth – naked and covered in dirt. His father says the spot where it happened is still where the best onions sprout, but Runar knows it’s more likely due to it also being his favorite place to make night soil.

His father would always say, “Runar! Never shit where you sleep!”.

and while Runar never completely understood the sentiment – “Who shits where they sleep? And does it happen so often that it needs to be a cautionary tale to children??” he DID suspect that perhaps this rule extended to where you were born as well, so he kept it to himself.

By his teen years, he had grown to wonder what was happening outside of his little family farm. His parents were wary of all outsiders and had a wild, usually scary story to defend against any of his prying questions about Mardrun and its other inhabitants.

“If it were just other Ulven here, we would love to let you romp around sowing your wild oats” his mother bellowed once, “But it’s not! There are evil, pointy eared baby eaters out there now.. and flat toothed round-ears with funny accents that are ALL diseased. If you go near them, you’ll die, and we can’t pick all these onions without you”.

His parents knew a lot about everything, so he heeded their warnings usually. He used to think they must be very wise to know so much about the world and all the things in it, but as the years went on, Runar did start to notice some incongruities in their tales..

He once asked his father while walking the riverbank, “Why does the water flow only in this direction, and never the other way around?”

His father smiled and explained,”It is because the river always flows from Gaia towards the Great Wolf, and when it rains, it is because Gaia is missing the Great Wolf and wants him near.. and when it STORMS, and the river overflows its banks.. It is because the Great Wolf has found her and is making her very happy”.

Runar loved that story and thought about it often. He always loved swimming in the river when it was raining, and it made him happy thinking about Gaia missing the Great Wolf and how he was somehow a part of that when he swam. But months later, as he was helping his mother work the dirt, the dark clouds of a storm rolled in.. flashes of lightning and the boom of thunder came right as the first drops of rain hit their heads. He started undressing and running to the river immediately, his mother running fast behind him.

She caught him before he jumped off the river bank, “What the hell are you doing Runar??”

“Swimming in Gaia’s love!!” He emphatically answered.

Turns out, his mother’s reasoning for the river’s flow was a lot different than his fathers.. “You’ve been reading those dirty fairy tales he writes haven’t you!”, she scolded. “I told him to hide them away where you could not find them. Is this why you always sneak out to shit in the onion patch too?? Did he write that it lures naked forest nymphs?!”.

But this was the way of it. He was still not totally sure why the river flowed one way, but he also didn’t let it stop him from swimming in the rain.

The years passed, and Runar found his joy where he could in life – he knew nothing else, so he wanted for very little.. Or so he believed..

When Runar turned 36, the most amazing thing happened to shake up his quiet existence..

His father broke his leg.

Well.. Runar was sure that it was not great for his father, but OH BOY.. did it mean amazing things for him. For the first time in his whole life, he was allowed to venture out from not just their farm, but out into Nightriver lands and to a settlement!! Once a year, his father would go to trade their sweet onions and chairs that he enjoyed making for various goods they could not grow or make themselves, and this year… THIS YEAR.. that day had landed not only on his birthday, but on the day his father fell off the cabin roof, and it could not be stalled any longer for winter was fast approaching, and if they missed the window it would be an entire season without their needed goods. His mother, being deathly afraid of diseases and mumbling something about colonial scum (two words whose meaning, Runar could not divine), made the executive decision to send him in his fathers stead.

~~~~~\ ~~Part 2 ~~~~~~~

The Great Wolf’s Heavy load

And there he was!! Strolling down the path with a huge hiking pack full of onions and strapped with 4 homemade chairs, whistling a merry tune. He walked all day and thought about walking all night just because he was SO excited to reach the market and see the mysterious outsiders his parents hated so much, but as the sun fell below the treeline, the woods took on an eerie calm. He felt watched, although he could not tell why. He remembered a story his mother had told him about creatures that come out at night.. Strange shadow beasts, with tiny yellow eyes that glowed bright when they smelled little boys nearby. He thought he might see some of these eyes up ahead on the path..

HE IMMEDIATELY PANICKED.

Breaking into a run, Runar made it ten paces before tripping on a root and falling to the dirt, the weight of his overloaded pack, bulging with onions and 4 wooden chairs haphazardly strapped about it driving him face first into the soil.

Blinking, bleary eyed and seeing stars.. No.. yellow lights in the distance growing larger… and closer..

“Fuck”, he thought to himself. “First and last adventure”

He closed his eyes tightly and waited for his doom.

But it did not come.

Instead.. Soft footfalls.. And then an even softer voice.. “Well met. I am Hjalvar, the Wolf’s Priest”.

After assuring Runar that Shadow Beasts were not a threat, the Wolf Priest helped him gather his spilled onions, and offered to set camp with him if he wanted. They built a fire, and Hjalvar put a coney on the spit he had trapped that day, offering to share with him in exchange for some onions. They supped and found themselves happily trading stories of recent adventures. Runar felt a bit inadequate as his stories mostly dealt with local badgers or river otters and the shenanigans and hijinks associated with, while the wolf’s priest had grand tales of the road and his extensive travels. Turns out, Hjalvar was something of a prophet, and Runar sat wide-eyed as he spun his tale of a first hand experience with the Great Wolf..

“There I was, falling from a scaffold. Next thing I know I’m on my back and my vision is fading out and my lungs are filling with blood. I close my eyes. Then suddenly I feel totally fine. I open my eyes and I’m standing in a forest and off in the distance I see the hulking shadow of The Great Wolf as it stalks its way toward me. Naturally I freeze in place. Then I hear a voice, low and rumbling like a growl barely escaping the throat of the great beast, ‘I do not know you yet you intrude on my forest?’ the beast called to me, ‘Without a name, you are nothing to me. Nothing but a morsel.’ Then the Great Wolf turned and began bounding toward me, his maw open. I tell you the likes of it I have never seen. When he opened his mouth, by Gaia’s grace his mouth so large it could swallow ten warriors without thinking, I saw the stars inside. I saw the very cosmos itself, but at the center of it all, I saw something that scared me more than any of the rest of the experience. I saw nothingness; a void of pure emotionless, nothingness. I screamed…and then I was back. And I swore that when the great wolf saw me once more, He would know my name!”

Runar lay awake that night incapable of finding sleep. He stared up through the trees into the great cosmos above wondering what else his parents had left out when educating him about the world. He believed the Wolf Priest’s story entirely.. he had no reason to distrust the man – he had shared a rabbit with him after all, and what else do you need to know a person really? The Great Wolf had placed a heavy load on Hjalvar it seems, allowing him to return to this realm after seeing into his maw.

By time the sun rose, he had made the biggest decision of his life – He would not be returning home. This was the sign he had been waiting for.

Packing up camp, Runar asked Hjalvar for advice on where a young man with onions and chairs to spare might go to strike out into the world and see what he could learn of it. The Great Wolf’s Priest said he had no idea how onions would get Runar ahead, but that there was a University in Key’s Crossing he could try. “I think it would be a fine place for an open minded Ulven like yourself to get an unbiased education, but even if they do not admit you to their classes, it stands to reason that they would at least purchase your chairs, schools usually need lots of chairs”

And so it was, that Runar and Hjalvar parted ways, and that he happily trotted along on his way to the University at Key’s Crossing to begin his education.

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Page 19

Aurelia

PLAYER NAME: Hannah Anderson
CHARACTER NAME: Aurelia
GENDER: Female
AGE: 36
RACE: Human
CLASS: Rogue
HAIR: Brown
EYES: Hazel
OCCUPATION: Barkeep
BIRTHPLACE: Kingdom of Aldoria
APPEARANCE: Sturdy and practical, Aurelia prefers comfort over fashion and usually wears a white apron
over any outfit.

BIO:

Aurelia was born in 235 in the Kingdom of Aldoria. Born to a family of bakers, her life was a peaceful one, learning the trade of baker. In 253 when she turned 18, Aldoria was overrun, and her father was lost. Aurelia and her mother Isabella managed to escape early to the colony of New Aldoria, though not without consequences. Isabella became very Ill soon after reaching their new home and Aurelia started apprenticing at a local tavern, run by a greedy man who stole her tips, and allowed far more poking and prodding by patrons than she was comfortable with, which Aurelia put up with having made a deal with the owner that she would take over the Tavern in the coming years. The money she made barely kept a roof over their heads and wasn’t enough to heal her mother. When her mother died in 258, the owner of the tavern offered to take Aurelia in, only to have her watch his children when she wasn’t working. The last straw was when the owner took on a young male apprentice in 260 and she overheard him making the same deal with him that she had been given.
With no ties or loyalty left to the colony of New Aldoria Aurelia (now 25) set out to find somewhere where people say what the mean and mean what they say. Where an honest day’s work makes you a living wage, no strings attached. While traveling, she ran into Belterra, an enterprising 12-year-old ulven in 262. Unwilling to let the child travel alone, and pleased with the blunt honesty of her youth, Aurelia chose to travel with her until they
both found somewhere they could settle down for good.

PERSONALITY:
Aurelia doesn’t give her trust easily. Life has taught her that words mean nothing without action to back them up. People are usually only looking out for themselves and finding someone who is
honest and kind is something to hold on to. Once her trust is earned, it is absolute and unquestioning, though only 2 people now hold that honor. Being a barmaid that long has taught her to smile no matter what and to appear friendly and welcoming, no matter how she feels personally. Her experiences with harassment make her fiercely protective of those around her. Her tavern may entertain escorts, but she runs it with a friendly face, a no-nonsense attitude and immediate and direct expulsion of any patron that looks to exploit her and hers. Treat her and hers right and we won’t have a problem.

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Page 19

February 2023 – Newhope Political Dinner

Ice grips even the southern portions of Mardrun and the people find themselves spending more and more time in their homes waiting out what is often the coldest month of the year. There are few things that draw excitement in the month of February, but the one that does is always a grand event. Throughout the City-State lands and beyond people sit in eager anticipation of the announcement of what has colloquially become known as “The Annual Political Dinner”

Sure enough near the beginning of the month the word goes out that an upscale venue has been chosen in the heart of Newhope’s merchant district. Known as the Glinting Emerald, it’s a newer space for sure, but one that has already caught the eye of the citizenry of Newhope. With the announcement

Before long the streets of Newhope are flooded with people. Though not everyone has a chance to attend the official gathering, many still find themselves traveling to the area to partake in the festivities that always find themselves materializing in the orbit of these grand gatherings. The recently quiet streets of the Merchant District are now a buzz of activity as people shout sales and specials into the streets from their storefronts. Bards and bands traverse the streets looking for gigs or even just a free corner to ply their trade. Many come with business proposals, hoping to get a chance to rub elbows with the wealthy or noble. Music and mirth fill the air as all prepare for the of the venue also comes a great open invitation to all of the peoples of Mardrun. The unanimous voice of the Council of Newhope rings out through their missive inviting representatives from the Ulven Clans to come and partake in the hospitality of Newhope and it’s people, no doubt in an interest to ease some of the recent tensions. The announcements all carry with them the feeling the recent dark moments within the City-State have been addressed, the future will be bright, and they want all to be able to share in this hopeful outlook for the future.Annual Political Dinner.

Update:

It was a lively time in the Glinting Emerald. People from all walks of life attended to mingle with new acquaintances and catch up with old friends and comrades. Though no persons of high station attended in person, representatives from a few of the major players around the continent made themselves present.

At one point a meeting of Syndar people in attendance was called together to discuss the possibility of fracturing off and forming their own society or, at the very least, learn how they could come together to further their collective needs and desires. In the end it was clear that this talk would lead to a larger discussion and more meetings in the future, but attention was quickly drawn to the eagerly awaited announcement of the day.

One of the major draws to this dinner was the expectation that Clan Spiritclaw and Newhope would be making a joint proclamation regarding the recent research into Witch Magic and its effects on The Siphoning. By the end of the day they had finished comparing their notes and come forward with a final statement. Both parties agreed that Witch Magic does, in fact, lead to The Siphoning. It seems that every time a Witch casts a spell a portion of the mana is unwound and unable to return to the mana stream. Over time this piece-by-piece unwinding reduces the amount of mana in the stream. They also learned that Mordok Corruption Idols draw on ambient mana, but that they also have a unique ability to draw in this unwound mana and use it as a power source. The researchers believed that these idols may hold some secret that could help collect and maybe fix this unwound mana. The idea of trying to use these idols as opposed to destroy them on sight ruffled some feathers. The Order of Arnath also announced that they had some success in creating what they called a Cleansing Idol. People were excited to hear more about this new device moving forward.

The Researchers also brought along some fresh arcane research in the hopes that a collaborative effort could help solve some problems they’d been having. The researchers and some volunteers worked diligently at their task in the hopes of creating a new Divination Ritual that could pinpoint areas of corruption with extreme accuracy, no matter how small or weak. Unfortunately they were unable to finish this task. The researchers were invited back to The Ravens University to continue their research and hopefully use what they were able to learn so far to finish their task in the near future.

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Page 19

Wrennalis

PLAYED BY: Aaron Malone

CHARACTER NAME: Wrennalis (ren-NAL-is) or Ren

GENDER: Male

PREFFERED PRONOUN(S): he/him

CLASS: Mage

AGE: 42

RACE: Serous Syndar

HAIR: Brown

EYES: Brown

OCCUPATION: Magic Researcher and tea connoisseur

KNOWN SKILLS: Adept at field and library research, skilled notetaker

BIRTHPLACE: Faedrun, City of Seven Gates

APPEARANCE: A little on the shorter side for a Syndar, alters dress depending on the situation between simple and more extravagant. Can almost never catch him without a book in his hands.

NOTABLE TRAITS: pointed ears, calm but serious demeanor.

RELATIONSHIPS: Agrus Fillian, freelance research affiliate; Elzerith, faction leader of the Blades of Sol

RUMORS: Too much of a bookworm, can’t take a joke

BIO:

Wrennalis, or Ren for short, was essentially born into the arcane arts. His parents were established researchers in the City of Seven Gates, the capital of the Kingdom of Tielorrien in Faedrun. Beginning to tinker with simple puzzles at a young age, Ren became enthralled with this gift and grew up assisting his parents in the lab. By the time he was 23, he was forced to leave on a boat with other refugees for his safety due to the undead invasion. His parents stayed to assist with the magical defenses of the city and are assumed to be dead. The only things with Ren on the boat were some clothes, books, and some small bags of different Jasmine tea leaves and seeds that were his family’s favorite drinks.

Upon landing in what would become New Hope, Ren stuck with a Syndar commune on the outskirts of New Hope. For work, he would do freelance research and utilize funds to help establish a more permanent but small research facility in the outskirts. About two years ago, Ren was approached by a researcher to assist on a special project but offered to pay extremely well. He accepted due to the prospect of money but also to further his own knowledge. This happened to be a team project with other freelancers involved, but one freelancer stood out the most, Agrus Fillian. Agrus was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and and willing to teach others. Long day and long nights in the lab fueled by the jasmine tea were had throughout that year. During one of those nights, Agrus overheard the lead researcher discuss details with a mercenary guard about taking everything after the project is done to sell. The next day, the other researchers and Ren were informed of this and said, “screw this” and took all the research and instruments and left. Unfortunately, the equipment needed to be pawned off because of not being paid for over a month. This led to laying low for a while until an envelope came via messenger about two months later.

In this envelope was not one, but two letters. The first was from Agrus himself. He had said he was able to travel north to the Clan Goldenfield area to sell off the Mana Stone he had taken to make up for lost wages and met up with a gold-skinned Syndar named Elzerith. Agrus was offered shelter and food with Elzerith’s organization, The Blades of Sol, up in Lumiria in the New Aldorian Settlement region and a safe haven to conduct research.

The second letter was written in very ornate handwriting from Elzerith himself, an invitation to visit Lumiria with the same promises: food, shelter, research opportunities, and other activities. Ren could not say no to this, so after he was able to sell some of the equipment, he was able to achieve safe passage up to Lumiria where he was met by the Lumiria town guards and escorted to Elzerith himself. Elzerith mentioned that the Blades of Sol were looking to expand their knowledge of the arcane in a predominately martial and divine organization and that Ren would be a perfect fit as a researcher. Ren hopes that his knowledge can assist the Blades of Sol with their endeavors.

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Íolbhristeoir

A few nights after Eireann helped to defuse a pair of entwined corruption idols that turned out to be a trap left by the Mordok, they were plagued by a distressing nightmare.

–

I wake, drenched in sweat, with the vision of a field of death and that sickening laughter slowly fading from my mind. At that moment I decided to meditate and pray on what I had seen both in the day and in my dream. I lit the candles upon my altar and sat in front to meditate. I let my mind drift through the events of the day. The ritual to divine the nature of a witch. The discovery of the grotesque entwined idols. The divination on the nature of the connections. I feel the hollow fear of completing the ritual to break the idol’s connection. The cold of the day melted into a white hot, searing panic at the realization of the insidious trap put together by the mordok. The need to take action moved me before I could think through my suggestion to the daughters in charge. I allow myself to acknowledge the empty pit of hopelessness that tried so hard to rear its ugly head and cast my focus into oblivion. Finally I visited the relief that washed through us all as the idols were destroyed. After grounding myself in my memories of the day I give prayer and thanks to the gods offering these deeds and memories over as thanks. To Tyrl I offer these stories and the knowledge we gain from the daughters’ rituals. I give these stories and knowledge in thanks for the wisdom to remember the ritual to needed destroy the idols. To Sylv I offer the cleansing of the land of her cousin and swear an oath to the destruction of these corrupting idols. I offer this cleansing and this oath in thanks for the peace that kept my fear at bay and her gifts allowing me to cleanse the idols. To Ulfkell I offer the battles to come against the mordok and their corruption. I give these battles in thanks for the fortitude to hold fast to my convictions. In this prayer and in my deeds I shall last my claim to the title Íolbhristeoir.

I am Eirian ap Meinwen Seanchai blessed of awen íoclaochra Íolbhristeoir

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January 2023 – Defusing the Bomb

Things have been very quiet along The Shield of Mardrun for quite some time now. It seems the series of outposts have been largely accomplishing their task of keeping the Mordok threat from spilling into the inhabited southern lands. With the final raids of the year seemingly in the past, the whole continent began a slow ease into the cold of winter.

Unfortunately it seems that rest is not in the cards for Mardrun. A small band of Mordok following command of one of their mysterious blue-clad leaders was seen near the Clan Shattered Spear outpost on the Shield. They did not approach the outpost proper and instead moved further South. After their departure a scouting team was sent out to follow the Mordok until a Warpack could be mobilized. They found a strange, new type of idol near the closest settlement just past the defensive line of the Shield. Corrupting influence spread forth from the idol and seemed to sap the land itself of life in a way not seen since The Red Eyed Syndar raised corruption to swallow Onsallas Outpost near the home of Pack Longfang. As the corruption spread, some of the Ulven at the settlement began to fall ill and the leadership of the village ordered the townsfolk to evacuate.

Clan Shattered Spear has sent forth a request for aid in dealing with this strange and potent form of corrupting magic. Clan Spiritclaw has answered the call and has agreed to send a team of Truthseekers and Daughters of Gaia to the Shield to help understand and hopefully destroy this idol. They welcome any additional outside help that can be mustered, both in the realms of research as well as security. Spiritclaw leadership has also made it known that they’d been looking to undertake a few research experiments of their own and that this will grant them the perfect moment to bring these tasks into focus.

Ravina Spiritclaw seems to have taken a strong interest in the announcement from the late Celestial Arragones that the Ulven’ Witch Magic is the leading cause of The Siphoning that plagues the Syndar people and other magic users of the world. A second call has been placed inviting anyone who wishes to see this question answered once and for all to travel to The Shattered Spear Outpost and give what aid they can.

UPDATE:
With the sun high in the sky, a sizable group of researchers, warriors, and curious parties marched into Shattered Spear territory. Despite the cold, it wasn’t long until rituals headed by the Daughters of Gaia and several eager volunteers were well underway. Brave individuals moved forward to scout the land and locate the idol. However, it became swiftly apparent that the effort was not going to go over smoothly. A group of bandits, who were unaware of their sickened and maddened state, harassed various travelers and groups along the roads. The bandits haggled the lives and safe passage of captured travelers for silver and food, or sometimes demanded payment to simply leave the area temporarily. The bandits did not seem to be aware of the affliction that they carried, as any individual who got too close to these brigands began to suffer from a strange form of corruption that seared through the body and spread amongst the camp. Now faced with a dilemma, the adventuring party set out to research the idol while keeping the bandit threat at a distance. Thanks to the efforts of several kind and …persuasive healers, the bandit forces slowly dwindled throughout the day, as they were one-by-one cleansed of their corruption.

Despite research taking precedence and some difficulties on the road, it was not long before the idol was located, and a horrid visage met those who dared to investigate. The idol was not one, but two. The idols, constructed not far from each other, were tethered with stinking viscera and pure corruption magic. Impossible to destroy separately, the research team decided to complete their ritual for the idol’s potential relation to the siphoning, after which the aim would soon turn towards severing the connection between the idols to weaken them with the little remaining time available. The researchers hoped that this would ease the ever-growing damage on the surrounding land and allow their endeavors to destroy the remaining parts to become easier in the future.

With everyone eager to witness the severing of the idols, a crowd formed around the ritual that had begun as the sun was setting. Once the Daughter of Gaia’s severing ritual was completed, feelings of accomplishment quickly fell to horror as realization struck. The Mordok had set a trap; the idols were triggered to build and release a massive burst of blighting corruption throughout the nearby land should the tether be snapped. With time as the enemy, everyone unable to provide assistance in destroying the idols was ordered to evacuate. A panicked effort to organize capable casters was thrown together as corruption began to grow thick in the air. With only a few moments left until eruption, the idols were destroyed simultaneously, and the remaining crowd broke out in joyous cries. Although the destruction of the idols was successful and a brief celebration was shared as the sun faded on the horizon, an undeniable feeling of unease remained heavily on everyone’s minds. The lead ritualists could only imagine the extent of the damage the disaster would have caused to the land of Clan Shattered Spear, or how many of them might have been killed outright or left grotesquely corrupted.

Some days later word of preliminary results regarding the siphoning divination rituals start to spill from Spiritclaw. It’s too early to have any real results yet, but it’s clear that they are hard at work. Some who are more connected learn that Spiritclaw has also sent copies of the raw data to Newhope’s Research Wing to process in their own manner. This seems to be in an attempt to make sure that no one can imply any biases in the results should both sides come to the same conclusions. Rumors spread that both sides intend to report their findings at the February Political dinner. People of the continent with a stake in the matter wait with bated breath.

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Audreanna Delamore

PLAYER NAME: Sarah Novy

CHARACTER NAME: Audreanna Delamore

GENDER: Female

PRONOUNS: She/her

CLASS: Rogue

AGE: 35

RACE: Human

HAIR: Brown

EYES: Brown.

OCCUPATION: Herbologest. Member of the Guardians of the wall

TRAITS: Skilled in living off the land. Self sufficient in wilderness survival, hunting, herbology Ext….

BIRTHPLACE: unknown, possible Vandergon Area descent.

APPEARANCE: I appear very forest savvy. I travel light and have been known to keep herbs and furs on me from time to time. Never seen far from my bow.

RELATIONSHIPS: the Guardians of the wall.

RUMORS: Prefers to be in the wild then in villages and towns.

BIO:

My story begins on the old continent. As far as I can remember I was an orphan. I have no memories of my birth parents. When I think back as early as I can, I just remember being lost or alone. I was adopted several times and moved from family to family but I never felt like I fit in and would oftentimes be sent away or abandoned. I spent most of my childhood in this every changing state and it left me with a longing to have a real family. Years would go by and eventually I found myself under the care of Haymitch, an old hermit who lived deep in the woods. He was the first person in my life that made me feel like I wasn’t completely alone. He was a strange old man and I found him odd at most times but when it came to nature he was very dedicated. He taught me how to live off the land and what I could and could not eat. The dangers of certain plants and how to avoid them came in handy a lot throughout life and I will always cherish the long summer days we had together learning all the different varieties of plants and how to properly harvest them. I was devastated when he passed away, just another cruel trick of fate to play on me.

A few more years would pass as I traveled from home to home, lost again in the everchanging hustle and bustle of life. I would next find a home I would really consider to call a home when I was taken in by Ellieandrin, an ex Vandergon marksman. She was a fierce warrior and was expertly trained with a bow. She was stern and unlike Haymitch who was very carefree, lived by a code and forced discipline and order into my life. I learned quickly under her tutelage and soon became proficient with the bow as well. I would use my training to hunt and defend the land from dangerous animals. Though harsh and stern, Elle was also kind and thoughtful in her own way and was the closest thing I would come to having a mother figure. I lived with her until the undead took the old continent from us and forced us from the land. I lost Elle in our escape and for all I know she didn’t make it. I was forced to board a ship and found myself arriving on a strange new land.

I took the training I had gained and left civilization behind. I took to the forests of Maudrun and made them my home. I lived off the land and kept to myself. It was a peaceful life but I still felt like I was missing something. I lived this way for years until one fateful day while I was hunting, a group of Mordok found me. I was surrounded and outnumbered, I had finally become the prey. I fled but they were quicker and it wasn’t long till they were within striking distance. I burst from a thick patch of woods and ran straight into a wall. I was dazed for a moment and that’s when the wall moved and it wasn’t a wall at all but a massive shield held by a tall man in full armor. He had friends with him and they immediately formed a wall of shields between myself and the Mordok pursuers. I quickly recovered and with a wall to defend me I let loose my arrows and the Mordok were dispatched. I thanked the strangers who had helped me and they introduced themselves as Stanley, Zenteagan, and Aladrin, Guardians of the Wall. We talked for a short while and they quickly gleaned that I was alone and had no real home or family. They offered a solution. Come back with them to their home of Shieldhaven. I had never heard of the place but they said it had walls and I would be safe there. I didn’t feel like I needed their help to feel safe but they were kind and a place to call home seemed like an intriguing idea. I took them up on their offer and soon found myself calling Sheildhaven my home. I quickly got to know the Guardians and it wasn’t long until I was a full fledged member. I was finally home and with people I could call family.

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Page 19

Conrad Gall

PLAYER NAME: Noah Gudenschwager
CHARACTER NAME: Conrad Gall
GENDER: Male
RACE: Human
CLASS: Cleric
AGE: Mid 20s
HAIR: Dark brown
EYES: Green
OCCUPATION: Traveling Merchant
RELATIONSHIPS: The Golden Hand, Imrick Oakenbrow, Rexton Atherton
NOTABLE TRAITS: Gold paint on various parts of his body, changes from time to time.

BIO:
“I don’t remember much of Faedrun, especially before everything came crashing down,” Conrad said to Syms. Conrad grew up on the roads of Aldoria in a Sojourner Caravan that at the time of his birth was
desperately trying to gain passage to Mardrun. One night, upon being denied entrance to a coastal city in Aldoria the undead attacked the caravan outside the city and killed most of the Sojourners before the forces from the city organized and repelled the attackers. During the fight, many Sojourners, including Conrad and his mother, made it inside the city’s walls and blended in with other refugees. Days later Conrad and his mother made it onto a colony ship headed to Mardrun.

The travels to Faedrun are some of Conrad’s earliest memories. He remembers the crying of the other passengers, as many of them lost everything. Conrad’s mother kept telling him, “It’s a good thing we were nomads, makes it easier to put everything behind us,” As much as Conrad’s mother talked about leaving everything behind, she would also regale stories of her travels across Faedrun, talking in a
hushed voice whenever someone would walk past as if trying to keep a secret. Other than the stories of her travels Conrad’s mother hardly interacted with him. Being stuck on a small boat with nothing but
strangers Conrad kept to himself.

The colony ship eventually landed in the City State of Newhope where, to the surprise of Conrad and his mother, there was a group of Sojourners that was gathering outside the city getting ready for a caravan across Mardrun. It was here that Conrad got his first true taste of Sojourner culture, the songs,
and dances that Conrad should have been taught at a much younger age. Due to his disconnection from the Sojourners, Conrad struggled to learn the songs, dances, and dueling practices that kids half his age were well versed in. Conrad also disagreed with how the Sojourners stayed away from the affairs of the other peoples of Mardrun. Conrad remembers the cries of the people on the boat, the people who lost everything, and now to see his people ignoring the others and going on about their lives like nothing
happened? After years of following his new Sojourner ‘family,’ Conrad could not ignore the pleas of the cities they passed any longer, a need to help the people around him had been brewing in him for years, so one day Conrad left the caravan as it approached Davin’s Hold after it had been retaken from the bandits. Here Conrad stayed as a humble merchant, never making much as he was prone to undercharging those in desperate need, or even in some cases giving away his goods for free. Here, Conrad met with two former members of the Order of Arnath, Imrick and Rexton, who share his idea of
helping those in need in whatever way possible.

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Eckhart Blackstone

Player Name: Stuart Ilhe
Character Name: Eckhart Blackstone

Bio:

Born in 231 as the eldest son to a lesser noble family in western Vandregon, Eckhart’s fate was to become a knight. Trained in war at an early age he always felt a deeper call to the spiritual despite his father’s wishes. He eventually left home joining the Order of the Angel, leaving his two younger brothers Rhinehart and Rickart to continue the family’s knightly tradition.

He would not see his family again until 254. In the interim, he, like most of Faedrun, contributed to the war effort. In his case by the use of divine magic as well as his knowledge of first aid to act as a field medic.

Later on in the year 254 as he was stationed in one of the last Vandregon coastal cities to not have fallen, he saw Rhinehart as well as his father for the first time in years (Rickart having left for Mardrun a few years before). His father took him aside and ordered him to drug Rhinehart and get him on the boat leaving for Faedrun. If he didn’t, Rhinehart would surely die fighting by his father’s side. Eckhart did this and by doing so earned the ire of his brother.

They parted ways after arriving on Mardrun and after wandering for a few years settled down in the rural areas around the city of Newhope serving as a priest to the local farmers and even constructing a small shrine to the Vandregonian Saints with an emphasis on the Angel. This changed earlier this year when his village was attacked by bandits and his shrine burnt down. This caused him to flee to stay with friends in Newhope where he also recovered from wounds he sustained during his village’s destruction.

He is now a wanderer once again and is traveling to land acting as a priest to any who need it.