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- Nov 11, 2008
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The creatures lurking in the forest, just beyond the cozy confines of the village, were known to all; but there were foul beings, hiding in the deep confines of the forest, where the light from the sun above rarely pierced the trees above. There were rumors of these horrendous monsters, and their ferocious capabilities - but no evidence of their existence... except for the account of Burhalvena.
One of the tribe's few half-orcs, Burhalvena was the self-proclaimed Ranger for the village. No one knew where she plucked the word from; and those who bothered to ask the demon-child were quickly threatened to have their head ground against her "rock-hard abs" (another phrase that she picked up from somewhere). Still, she was an expert in tracking, hunting, and tathering; knew her way around the forest; and had been further into the southern swamps than any hunting party dared to go. She knew too well the dangers that came with exploring the darker parts of the forest.
While adventuring near a part of the Southwest forest, Burhalvena was surprised by a large canine, it's shoulders easily the same height as her abdomen. It wasn't a furless krute hound, a known menace to the village, but a large wolf, old and grizzled, it's white fur criss-crossed with scars and eyes full of menace. Usually, most creatures would leave her alone - but this creature was different. It attacked, without warning, and the half-orc quickly found herself fighting for her life. Their battle quickly turned into a game of cat and mouse, the role of hunter and hunted ever changing, as Burhalvena tried desperately to get back to the village without dying in the jaws of the wolf. The two collapsed, not far from the village, covered in blood. The last thing Burhalvena saw was the great white wolf, lying on the ground, blood oozing from it's snout as it glared at her with bright red eyes... When the half-orc awoke, she was lying on a bed mat, the rare linens that the village created wrapped about her wounds. She had trouble moving from her wounds; but thankfully, she had someone watching over her.
[Lisa the Farmer]
Lisa didn't believe Burhalvena was an evil spirit, like almost everyone else in the village believed; she just though the woman had lovely orange eyes. When she found the half-orc, half alive in one of the tuber fields, she brought the Descendant back to her home; when questioned about the wolf, however, Lisa said she hadn't seen anything like that in the field. That didn't matter to the half-orc, though; she knew it lived, and would be after her.
Over the next few weeks, Burhalvena was forced to stay in bed, hearing stories from Lisa of odd happenings around the village. Animals gone missing, odd tracks found in the outskirts (and on pathways)... and there were a few nights she awoke, with Lisa curled up next to her on the bed mat, and could swear she saw something just outside the tiny hut... but it would run away, almost immediately as soon as she awoke.
After her few weeks of healing were up, Burhalvena left Lisa's hut, and returned to her own. There, she found her few possessions misplaced or moved about, and a tuft of white fur sticking out of the frame. The tracks around and in the village were canine, probably from the wolf too. It had been stalking her, and probably wouldn't give up.
The village was in dire straits, and calling for the Descendants, but Burhalvena had her own troubles to worry about - and worrying about what sort of horror she had inadvertently brought on the village... and Lisa. The woman had saved the half-orc; maybe the young Descendant could do the same?
One of the tribe's few half-orcs, Burhalvena was the self-proclaimed Ranger for the village. No one knew where she plucked the word from; and those who bothered to ask the demon-child were quickly threatened to have their head ground against her "rock-hard abs" (another phrase that she picked up from somewhere). Still, she was an expert in tracking, hunting, and tathering; knew her way around the forest; and had been further into the southern swamps than any hunting party dared to go. She knew too well the dangers that came with exploring the darker parts of the forest.
While adventuring near a part of the Southwest forest, Burhalvena was surprised by a large canine, it's shoulders easily the same height as her abdomen. It wasn't a furless krute hound, a known menace to the village, but a large wolf, old and grizzled, it's white fur criss-crossed with scars and eyes full of menace. Usually, most creatures would leave her alone - but this creature was different. It attacked, without warning, and the half-orc quickly found herself fighting for her life. Their battle quickly turned into a game of cat and mouse, the role of hunter and hunted ever changing, as Burhalvena tried desperately to get back to the village without dying in the jaws of the wolf. The two collapsed, not far from the village, covered in blood. The last thing Burhalvena saw was the great white wolf, lying on the ground, blood oozing from it's snout as it glared at her with bright red eyes... When the half-orc awoke, she was lying on a bed mat, the rare linens that the village created wrapped about her wounds. She had trouble moving from her wounds; but thankfully, she had someone watching over her.
[Lisa the Farmer]
Lisa didn't believe Burhalvena was an evil spirit, like almost everyone else in the village believed; she just though the woman had lovely orange eyes. When she found the half-orc, half alive in one of the tuber fields, she brought the Descendant back to her home; when questioned about the wolf, however, Lisa said she hadn't seen anything like that in the field. That didn't matter to the half-orc, though; she knew it lived, and would be after her.
Over the next few weeks, Burhalvena was forced to stay in bed, hearing stories from Lisa of odd happenings around the village. Animals gone missing, odd tracks found in the outskirts (and on pathways)... and there were a few nights she awoke, with Lisa curled up next to her on the bed mat, and could swear she saw something just outside the tiny hut... but it would run away, almost immediately as soon as she awoke.
After her few weeks of healing were up, Burhalvena left Lisa's hut, and returned to her own. There, she found her few possessions misplaced or moved about, and a tuft of white fur sticking out of the frame. The tracks around and in the village were canine, probably from the wolf too. It had been stalking her, and probably wouldn't give up.
The village was in dire straits, and calling for the Descendants, but Burhalvena had her own troubles to worry about - and worrying about what sort of horror she had inadvertently brought on the village... and Lisa. The woman had saved the half-orc; maybe the young Descendant could do the same?
