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#Post#: 1016--------------------------------------------------
280 AC A Druid's Tale: The Story of Talidaar vol. II The World o
f Man
By: Dungeon Master Date: October 16, 2024, 4:21 am
---------------------------------------------------------
In the Shadow Years of the Age of Despair…
[center]A Druid's Tale: The Story of Talidaar
vol. II: The World of Man
Chapter One: Unwanted
Talidaar was created by DCR [/center]
280 AC
Southwestern Ansalon
Abanasinia
Haven
The one known as Talidaar had left the only place he had always
known as home, and yet, for as long as he lived there,
Qualinesti always seemed it would reject him for who and what he
was. And now he has stepped into the great unknown. He does not
know what the human lands of his blood father hold for him.
Talidaar is eighteen at this point in his life. He is unshaven,
and though she has tried to hide his ears, there are telltale
signs of his racial heritage showing.
He had been in Haven for three days, where Talidaar found some
work at the Apothecary. He has been keen on the stares he would
get on the street and does not know if staying is the wise
choice in the long run. It seems more menacing here as well.
There are dangers around every corner. They do not like elves
here. They don't trust them. They are paranoid, isolationist,
and weary of travelers and people thinking they can move in.
Talidaar has been a witness to strange religious practices among
the people. Talidaar has never heard of these false gods, and he
wonders what the Gods of old think of such a happening in their
absence. They have been quiet for a long time now. The people
have forgotten and given up on the Old God’s return.
The stares the next morning on his way to the Apothecary told
Talidaar he was no longer welcome, and perhaps he should not
tarry overlong and prepare for his departure. Talidaar’s
contribution to the druggist brought in the needed coin for his
final supplies on the way out of town. He says his goodbyes, and
amid Talidaar getting the last of his needed supplies, he is set
upon by apparent vigilantes. He is kicked and stomped and spat
upon, and thrown out of the shop he was in.
Talidaar now recognizes these from the religious circles that
Talidaar deemed more cult-like than any religion he had heard of
before. He now guesses he has run afoul of these cultists by
just existing. They come towards Talidaar, who is still picking
himself up from the ground. When the pain doesn’t come, Talidaar
first hears the insults being slung at the zealots, then
Talidaar sees they are being pelted with tomatoes by a nearby
Kender standing next to a market vendor. Several people,
including the zealots, go after the Kender, leaving Talidaar all
but forgotten in the middle of the road. Talidaar does not need
a written invitation; he leaves the City of Haven as quickly as
he can without incident.
A good distance away, Talidaar could see the zealots and
shopkeepers still searching in the distance, far away from him.
The next thing he knows, he has been joined by the Kender they
are looking for. He gets on his tiptoes and tries to see what
Talidaar is looking at.
Talidaar smiles and puts his hand on the Kender’s shoulder to
get him down flat-footed. “They are looking for you way over
there. I suggest we go this way I should add, thank you for that
back there, I would have been a goner. I appreciate what you did
for me. I won’t forget it. I’m Talidaar Arbagon by the way.”
“Well, hello there, Talidaar. I’m Kel Lockspringer, and well, I
just couldn’t stand there and watch you get beaten up. I had to
do something. Where are you going now? Do you mind if I tag
along? It is better to have someone to watch your back, like
today.
“Yeah, okay, I don’t know, I hoped to stay in Haven longer and
figure that out,” Talidaar answers truthfully while they start
walking in the opposite direction the searchers were headed.
They follow the White Rage river south, away from the Haven
Vale. Their rumbling stomach heralds the need for food. They do
some fishing for their dinner.
Talidaar goes around collecting edible mushrooms, wild onions,
nuts, and berries. He is thankful for the abundance that nature
has provided. He comes back only to find the lines have crossed,
and there is the Kender in the middle of it. They get their
lines uncrossed and end up catching a couple of good catfish.
They talk a little bit about where they have come from. Kel
begins telling about his Father being a respected deputy
somewhere or another, he has two sisters, and his mom went
missing. "So when it was my time to go, nobody was around to say
goodbye to before I left Hylo. So I meant to go to Kendermore
but I was moving through Abanasinia, and I just fell in love
with the whole area, and have stayed around here for a while
now. Though it can be treacherous at times. Goblins, bandits,
marauders, and slavers keep a Kender on his toes."
Talidaar tells Kel a little of himself (keeping parts of it
vague, the kender doesn’t need to hear every last gory detail).
He keeps it intriguing enough to keep the kender from getting
bored and walking off. Talidaar tells Kel little tidbits about
the secret society that raised him to respect nature and all
life, including the trees and ants. Talidaar regales an
open-mouthed Kel about the sights around Qualinost, the great
elven capital of Kith-Kanan, such as the spanning bridges to
great towers marking the perimeter of the Inner City, and
Talidaar describes The Tower of the Sun from the outside
(Talidaar never made it inside the Tower on his last and only
trip to the Great City).
It seems Talidaar was successful in greatly impressing his new
companion. Talidaar must say, this one is not light with his
fingers of one’s things. From what little contact Talidaar knows
of Kender, they usually rob one blind while wearing a large grin
and big eyes while doing it.
With a delectable dinner out of the way, they change direction
and head inland east before Kel says, “oh no…”
There is a rumbling somewhere down the trail.
The Kender is awash with differing emotions of wanting to run
and hide or jump for joy.
Talidaar only has a vague guess of what this could be.
Half-man, half-horse men thunder by the Half-Elf and the Kender.
The next thing they know, they are encircled by a herd of loud,
boisterous Centaurs
#Post#: 1037--------------------------------------------------
280 AC A Druid's Tale: the Story of Talidaar Vol. II The World o
f Man
By: Dungeon Master Date: October 18, 2024, 9:54 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]A Druid's Tale: The Story of Talidaar
Vol. II: The World of Man
Chapter Two: The Centaurs of Ithax[/center]
Western Ansalon
Abanasinia
Near the White Rage
Darken Wood
Once the centaurs have surrounded the demi-humans, they are
watched for sudden moves and cues that might mark them as a
threat. When none arise, the Centaurs lower their weapons and
keep watch of the trespassers.
One tan centaur starts to come closer to address Talidaar,
“Hail, Elf kin we mean you no harm.”
But another, higher of rank apparently interjects and comes
forward and casts an accusing finger at Talidaar’s traveling
companion.
“Hold Kenderken, you are forbidden to come this way; we've
warned you repeatedly.”
Talidaar inwardly groans as the Kender sputters and goes into
excuse mode, “But-But I didn’t mean to do it this time. My
traveling companion was set upon by these really mean cultists
from Haven, and see, he was getting beat up before I jumped in
and hurled insults and tomatoes at them for their awful manners
and terrible fashion sense. We got out there and got turned
around. I honestly didn’t mean to come this way.” Kel tries to
deflect and deflate their fury, and he hopes that it is working
as he looks at their hooves and thinks about the time he was
kicked by a donkey in his youth.
A bay colored Centaur comes forward and peers closer at the
elfin and says, “Verily, the Kenderken has the right of it; this
one has been marked about his face for his troubles. Damnable
Havenites wilt believe in anything that tells them how to
think.”
The Centaurs talk amongst themselves in Centaur Speak, some of
them arguing. Talidaar can only pick out some of this dialect;
he is close. A grey colored Centaur comes forward; this one
seems to be calling the shots. “Elf kin, how are you called?”
“I am Talidaar Arbagon of Qualinesti, until recently.” He
amends.
“These runic symbols on your attire, you know of its origin?”
The lead asks
“I do, my grandfather taught me in the ancient ways of the Old
Gods. His name was Tevarith.”
The Centaurs look around, and they all nod in agreement.
“Hear me, Friend-Talidaar, I am Tharos. The name Arbagon is
known to us. We knew thy Grandfather Tevarith well. We mean you
no disrespect. These are Hard Times, and there is evil about in
the land. Only days ago, some of our number were cut down, and
our foals and others were taken from us. We search and search,
and these thieves have hidden their tracks; they have tricked
with magicked our scouts somehow. We are mad with worry. We
cannot permit your entry at this time, Friend-Talidaar. We hope
you understand. Perhaps in the future we may sup and talk about
those ancient ways under the stars, but until that day, Go with
Peace.”
Talidaar and Kel watch as the Centaurs thunder away, leaving
them leaving the two to begin walking in the opposite direction.
They finally settle on traveling north toward the village of
Esker when they make camp and make a small fire to warm
themselves in the chilled night air. Talidaar only half-listens
to his Kender companion this evening. He has been thinking of
the encounter with the Centaurs. They knew his Grandfather… it
captures his imagination of the times he must have had with
them.
The other things the centaurs were on about… Missing foals and
other Centaurs… He thinks back to the years after his mother
passed on. He thinks about how they were raided twice. He has
looked at the maps and wondered how they could get so far into
the Qualinesti as to reach Frenost. It always bothered him. They
destroyed his family, killed his elven father, took his sister,
and even I was the product of these violent acts. These slavers
are still here. It is a business venture, quotas… suddenly
Talidaar doesn’t know where these thoughts came from. He
realizes he was looking at it from their point of view. It is
still going on, and he has to do something about it.
Talidaar asked Kel to see his updated map of Abanasinia again.
He is looking back at the borders of Qualiesti, to the sea. His
eyes fall to the pass near the White Rage River and the northern
fork of the Kharolis Mountains known as the Sentinel Peaks. It’s
the same area he just left, the Elven Lands. He rolls the map
back up, then replaces it in its scroll case, and puts it in
Kel’s bag before settling down to go on watch while Kel catches
some sleep. Talidaar watches begin the celestial parade of Moons
cross the sky, up among the stars…
Hours later, Taliaar wakes up bathed in Lunitari's reddish light
and wakes Kel, who goes on watch while Taliaar gets some sleep.
#Post#: 1070--------------------------------------------------
280 AC A Druid's Tale: the Story of Talidaar Vol. II The World o
f Man Chapter Three: The Dream and the White Stag
By: Dungeon Master Date: March 30, 2025, 11:22 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]A Druid's Tale: The Story of Talidaar
Vol. II: The World of Man
Chapter Three: The Dream and the White Stag
[/center]
Western Ansalon
Abanasinia
Near the White Rage
Dreams pervade Talidaar's slumber under the stars and moons;
these are special dreams for a special purpose. For him and
others to reason out. A time of testing is upon him, though he
will not know it until some time later; he will come to it.
He is lopping along in the green, (A green Jungle. Talidaar has
never seen or heard of a place such as a jungle before.) he goes
to his favored watering hole and Talidaar looks into the water
and sees a Black Panther, Talidaar looks into its eyes and it
looks back, (Another thing he has never witnessed or heard about
before.) A weighted net comes down, and suddenly, men are all
around you. You lash out with your claws, but this net has you
entangled. The more you move, a dart hits your side, and then
you are out. Talidaar awakes with a start. Later, they are
walking along, and Kal points out something nearby in the
direction they are headed. Talidaar says it is nothing, and then
he sees it too. A White Stag. The Kender says, “Oooh, it's
Huma’s Stag.” “Do you think it wants us to follow it? Kal asks.
Talidaar judges the animal and indeed wants them to follow it.
Talidaar wakes up and smells breakfast cooking, and is confused.
He looks around and sees the Kender cooking eggs and toasting
bread. There is a small jar of preserves on the ground near him.
“Oh, you’re awake, you were sleeping like the dead for hours.
You said something about following the stag, and you even
growled a few times, which was funny and scary at the same time.
Did you dream you were a Lion? Rawwr.”
“I was not a Lion,” Talidaar tells the Kender when he thinks he
is well enough to come over for breakfast and joins the Kender.
“Did I say anything else?” The Half-elf asked.
“Not that I can think of, at least, I don’t think so. The kender
handed him a chipped plate and an egg and some toasted bread,
then he handed Talidaar the preserves.
The kender talks about some more irrelevant things while
Talidaar sits with his breakfast, thinking through his dream
again.
After the dishes are washed and the fire is put out, the duo set
out on their original course and heading.
Later,
In a bit of Deja’Vu, Talidaar remembers this stretch of woodland
from his dream. He scans the countryside for any sign. Then he
remembered, it was the Kender who spotted it in his dream. “Keep
your eyes peeled, I thought I saw something,” Talidaar says…”
“What, you saw what?” Kal asks, “Ohhhh, that’s Huma’s White
Stag, look at that will you? Isn’t beautiful?”
“It is,” Talidaar says with a smiling a knowing smile.
“Do you think it wants us to follow it?” Kal asks.
Talidaar observes it for a while and says, "I think that is
exactly what we are supposed to do." And so Half-Elf and Kender
follow this mythological beast from a respective distance.
Occasionally, it will stop, and make sure they are still
following. And so Talidaar and Kal continue along.
They lose it after a while, to everyone’s disappointment. The
Kender runs through the things that could have happened, like
“Maybe it's lost, or maybe it got shot by a hunter, or we are
near the destination we are supposed to be at, or maybe, maybe
there bad guys about and it went into hiding to get away from
them.”
Besides the first one, the rest are all valid reasons it's gone.
Maybe you are right. We are where we are supposed to be. Does
that mean we walk around and find out, or do we camp here and
hope we see it again?”
‘If there are bad guys about, I don’t know if we should sleep
here.” Kal says. The Kender leads Talidaar to another spot
nearby that seems more hidden and out of the open.
Soon, thunder sounds in the distance. Kal takes his watch, and
Talidaar catches a few hours of sleep.
#Post#: 1073--------------------------------------------------
280 AC A Druid's Tale: the Story of Talidaar Vol. II The World o
f Man Chapter Four: Reflection
By: Dungeon Master Date: April 5, 2025, 9:50 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]A Druid's Tale: The Story of Talidaar
vol. II:The World of Man
Chapter Four: Reflection [/center]
Western Ansalon
Abanasinia
Near the White Rage River
Talidaar slept peacefully this night, but a sound nearby woke
him in the early hours of the morning. He is completely alone in
camp; the Kender is gone. A cloth bag is thrown over Talidaar’s
head, and he is struck several times before a restraining collar
is affixed around his neck. Talidaar is not compliant during any
of this, but he is held down until it is finished. He is dragged
until he submits to walking. He can hear a couple of horses and
half a dozen men walking. Talidaar feels the heat of the sun and
determines the direction in which they are headed. They appear
to be headed northeast. Talidaar wonders where Kel is and if he
is okay. If he is, Tal hopes he is doing something useful right
now.
Another hour of walking before they enter a large camp, not far
from the sea. He is tied to a post and left in the sun. Talidaar
hears many sounds around, all at varying distances from him.
Human men are talking, talking about when a ship is due in (two
days), problems with the centaurs (they are not eating), and she
tried to escape again.
Near Goodbay on the coast of the Straits of Algoni,
Talidaar listens to what else he can hear. It is quiet, but he
hears wild elvish. The kagonesti tongue. They are nearby. There
are many people here. Some are crying; they must be quiet, or
they will be struck again.
A fire burns inside Talidaar. Suddenly, his hood is ripped off
his head, and he looks up at another Half-elf who is older than
Talidaar. He has black hair, grey eyes, and a goatee. He has a
cape with an expensive clasp. It was found, or taken, or he
bought it. The Half-elf looked Talidaar up and down and asked
one of the others where they found him.
The answer is “He was camping alone back a way. Hasn’t said a
word.”
The Half-elf looks at Talidaar. “Now, you can talk, can’t you?”
Talidaar thinks for a moment and decides he will say what he is
thinking. “What are you, a slaver? Where are we to be taken to
be sold?”
“Sanction, Ergoth, or Neraka most likely, The Three most
prominent markets right now.” The Half-elf replies. He gets a
ladle and gives Talidaar some water, as Talidaar looks like he
is very dehydrated. He tells some of the guys to put him with
the others. The hood is put back on his face, and he is led away
from the pole, past different groups of people, and finally, his
bound hands are attached to the others. The hood comes off.
Talidaar takes in the scene. The slavers start to walk off and
tell him not to talk. Talidaar looks around, a large ring of
people who are bound hand and foot. Different ethnicities, some
abanasinans, elves, both men and women. All of them are broken
and disheartened.
Talidaar hears that a group will go out one last time and see
what they can get before this ship arrives. He watches a large
group leave. Still many guards. He sees different animals that
have been captured and are in cages nearby, and beyond are the
centaur young. They are despondent and reject any of the food
being given to them.
Come on, Kel, you were nearby when I was caught. I hope you are
getting help right now because we need it.
Talidaar briefly met the Speaker’s ward in Qualinost when he was
younger, and the two went to the Capital. He was the first other
half-elf he had met. He had not met anyone else, but this
half-elf was something different. He offered me water when
nobody else did. Talidaar wonders what he does to get out of
this in case the Kender does not show back up.
#Post#: 1124--------------------------------------------------
280 AC A Druid's Tale: The Story of Talidaar vol. II The World o
f Man Chapter Five: The Pit
By: Dungeon Master Date: May 4, 2025, 3:32 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]A Druid's Tale: The Story of Talidaar
vol. II The World of Man
Chapter Five: The Pit[/center]
Western Ansalon
Near Goodbay and Zaradene
On the coast of the Straits of Algoni
That Night,
Talidaar still has not figured out how to save the prisoners and
get himself out of the trouble he has gotten himself into.
Luckily for him, Kel has been here for a time, trying to figure
out just what the heck is going on. He sees people bound, sees
wild elves, not very many here at the camp. Kel watched half the
group of raiders disappear into the woods earlier in the day.
Kel figures he will need to move fast in case the other group
comes back. He decides to sneak into camp and locate Tal. He
gets distracted a few times but remembers he is on a serious
mission.
Suddenly, Talidaar realizes Kel is releasing him, and Talidaar
whispers to Kel and tells him to come to him. Kel crawls till he
is closer to Talidaar. “I’m trying to get you out of here.” Kel
says quietly.
Talidaar has been thinking about a plan, now if he can just get
the Kender to follow it. “Listen, I’m going to trying to run
interference. I am going to call out can try to talk to the
ringleader. When they take me away, go free the Kagonesti and
the animals that are caged up. Watch out for the guards. The
Kagonesti will get their tribemates, you must go back to the
centaur lands this very night and lead them here.”
Kel thinks all of this over, He looks at the animals in the
cages, and agrees, then asks Talidaar what he must do again.
Talidaar does not get mad, he counts to five and opens his eyes,
and tells the kender what to do.
Soon, Talidaar calls out that he wants to speak to the half-elf.
Guards come over to kick him, but the Ringleader is intrigued
and has Talidaar brought to his pavilion tent. It is almost like
an actual house, or rather made to seem like a real house, with
the table and chairs, and different rooms. Talidaar takes
everything in, things that tell him who he is dealing with.
Talidaar is led to the large table, with papers and maps across
it. Talidaar sees at least two missives that have been opened
and just left on the table. “What’s your name, half-elf?” The
Raider asks as he suddenly notices what his guest’s eyes are
looking at, and the Raider turns the missives over and places
them at the far end of the table.
Talidaar pretends not to notice and answers. His host gives him
his name and asks him for his. The Raider smiles and pours
himself another drink, grabs another tin cup, and pours
Talidaar a bourbon of his own, nodding to Talidaar to take his
drink before putting the bottle away under his desk. The
black-haired half-elf sits up, with grey eyes and a goatee,
looks at Talidaar, and answers, “I am Lorus.”
Talidaar absorbs this name, Lorus, which does not sound like
Qualinesti. Talidaar looks at the Raider's hair again, black.
“Where are you from?” Talidaar finds himself asking. The name
would mean "Dark Star" in Old High Elven.
The Raider laughs as Talidaar takes a drink. Strong spirits. "Do
you want to know where I’m from, boy? Are things not adding up?
I grew up in Sanction. My elven mom was a Silvanesti, as you no
doubt picked up on. So, not dumb. Oh, you see now.” He shows his
ears, snipped. Out east, they hunt elves and sell their ears,
don’t matter if you are a half-elf.”
“So, you grew up in this business?” Talidaar asks.
“Slaving, you mean?” Lorus asks, “You can’t turn down the profit
at this level.”
“But this is morally wrong, don't that bothers you? Talidaar
asks.
Lorus answers, “Not really, no. Life is hard, especially for us.
We must never expect anything different or anything special.”
“I was conceived during a raid in Qualiesti, my sister was
abducted the next time the raiders came through, my mom, she
willed herself to die after she was assaulted on two different
occasions. This must end; it is destroying lives.” Talidaar
slams his fist down on the table to emphasize his feelings on
the matter.
“Then you do know all about it, our kind is cursed,” Lorus says
and pours Talidaar another drink.
Meanwhile, Kel has freed the Kagonesti, and they disappeared
into the area. Kel has crept over to the animals, and he tried
to keep them quiet as he freed them from their cages.
Soon,
“Hey, what are you doing there? Hey, it’s a Kender, hey, there
is a Kender in the camp.”
Kel is caught red-handed freeing woodchucks. He was halfway
finished, but he remembered what Tal said he had to do. He had
to go to the Centaurs, Kel is chased through the camp, carrying
a woodchuck, which is scrambling in Kel’s hands to get away from
the action. Kel leaps over a diving raider and gets away.
Talidaar stands when he hears what is happening and sways on his
feet. The alcohol is hitting him on an empty stomach, and he
looks back at Lorus, and Talidaar gets punched to the ground by
his host. He calls for his men “to throw this mutt in the pit
until the ship arrives.”
They take Talidaar to the center of camp, move the gate tie rope
around his feet, and throw him over the side.
Talidaar falls a short distance as the rope grows taunt, and
Talidaar bumps a person and then into the wall and swings back
into the person. They grab Talidaar, and Talidaar stops swinging
and grabs onto the person holding him. He quickly moves his hand
and says Sorry.
Talidaar finds himself face to face with a young woman, a
plainsman barbarian. “Hi,” she says in Plains speak, as she
smiles miserably.
Talidaar, for his part, takes in his new surroundings. It’s
horrible, the first thought he has, he looks down and sees that
there is rotting food deep below them. He looks back at the
plainswoman and smiles miserably, and Talidaa says “Hi,” back in
Plainsman.
#Post#: 1167--------------------------------------------------
280 AC A Druid's Tale: The Story of Talidaar vol. II The World o
f Man Chapter Six: The Raid
By: Dungeon Master Date: July 3, 2025, 3:22 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]A Druid's Tale: The Story of Talidaar
vol. II The World of Man
Chapter Six: The Raid [/center]
Western Ansalon
Near Goodbay and Zaradene
On the coast of the Straits of Algoni
Talidaar is hanging upside down in a pit all Night and a Day.
Below him are rotting food scraps that are decomposing and
giving off a horrid smell. Talidaar calculates that the hunting
party will return about the time the ship is expected. Talidaar
is not sure that the kender got away, but he thinks the wild
elves got free. Still, things do not bode well. The other
person hanging in the pit next to Talidaar is a young barbarian
human woman.
Talidaar has been able to glean from her words that she escaped
captivity several times, and they threw her down here. He learns
her name is Nyra Dawnrunner of Que-Han. And unless he
misinterpreted it, she might be royalty to her tribe. Underneath
all the dirt and grime, she is strong, lithe, and very pretty.
They looked away from each other in embarrassment at their
circumstances, for she was looking over his attributes as well.
Talidaar thinks through every conceivable way they can get out
of this, with varying concern about alerting their captors. Even
if they get up there, they still have to get the gate off. The
thoughts of the bleakness of their situation try to seep into
his thoughts, but he tries to push them away.
He tries to understand his dream. Why the stag? What does that
mean? What purpose does it serve to bring me here? To stop this
injustice, but what am I supposed to do? They have to get out
tonight, the ship will be here tomorrow.
Talidaar hears something and looks up to see the lid slowly
sliding away. He hears the distinctive sounds of the Sylvan
tongue being spoken.
A short time later,
Guards begin disappearing around the perimeter of the Slaver
Camp that night. Lorus begins to feel something is amiss and
gets his remaining crew that is around camp to start checking on
the guards.
Lorus himself searches around the grounds, tracks, very faint.
He follows the trail back to camp and the fire and walks around
it to the pit. He looks down and something is off, he takes a
torch and holds it over the pit and sees nothing is down there.
He hears voices nearby, and he walks to the ridge. There he sees
the Half-Elf scum and the Plainswoman leading the centaur young
away.
How did they get loose? His crew is running back into camp, and
behind them, a herd of Centaurs is charging in from the
darkness. They are on the warpath.
The various humans of the crew all scatter, some are not so
lucky, and a cudgel caves in the side of one of the humans’
heads. Crossbows go off and some Centaurs are felled. The
Crossbowmen are killed by Kagonesti wild elves who are hiding in
the tall grass and taking out whoever they can among the humans.
Talidaar and Nyra Dawnrunner are leading the centaur foals out
of danger. Lorus cuts them off. He is armed with a crossbow; it
looks as though he has been pushed to the ground. He is out of
sorts. He is sneering at Talidaar, calling him hateful things.
Nyra Dawnrunner tells Lorus in her native language that he is a
“small man, a potak” (a disgrace), and she spits at the ground
at his feet.
Lorus changes his aim to her, and Talidaar reacts and puts
himself in front of Nyra as Lorus fires his crossbow bolt.
Nyra is looking at Talidaar’s face when he’s hit and he is
brought down in front of her, and she starts to attack Lorus
before he can reload, but a Centuar comes out of nowhere from
behind the bushes and gets to him first with a blow to the head.
The Centaur looks down at Talidaar and the Plainswoman and sees
the missing centaur foals, and he takes out a bovide horn, then
signals the others, and soon more Centaurs have come around
Talidaar and the Plainswoman. Nyra looks up at the Centaurs and
asks if they can help him, “he’s dying.”
The Kender known as Kel Lockspringer comes running forward and
gets through the gathered Warparty of centaurs to Talidaar’s
side. “Tal can't die, we just came here to try to save
everyone,” the Kender explains, as he looks down on the friend
who has been so nice to him.
The Centaur Tharos, the leader of the War Party, looks to the
other Centaurs. They talk in Centaur Speak until they come to an
agreement, and one known as Kaldur comes in and scoops up the
dying half-elf off the ground and takes him off to Darken Wood.
The Kender and Nyra both ask what they are doing with Talidaar.
Instead of answering them, they are picked up and put on the
back of two centaurs, and they are whisked away to the Forest.
The other Centaurs lead the foals back to Ithax, their home.
#Post#: 1230--------------------------------------------------
280 AC A Druid's Tale: The Story of Talidaar vol. II The World o
f Man: Chapter Seven: Between Life and Death
By: Dungeon Master Date: August 17, 2025, 11:56 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]A Druid's Tale: The Story of Talidaar
vol. II The World of Man
Chapter Seven: Between Life and Death [/center]
The Great Forest of Zhan
The Afterlife
Talidaar opens his eyes and picks himself up from the ground,
and finds himself naked in the most lush and greatest forest
ever created.
Talidaar is humbled but confused.
He hears birds and sees insects like dragonflies and
butterflies.
It is the grandest place he has ever laid eyes on.
He finds himself contemplating the trees and the life he comes
across his Grandfather, who seems proud of him, but also
distraught that Talidaar is here and that he gave his life.
The Grandfather tells Talidaar he is proud of him, but he must
live.
Suddenly, there is a great wind that blows forth. Leaves and
debris begin flying past starts to move Talidaar back. Talidaar
hears a voice in the wind says, “Witness me and know, you have
been judged, remember the dream you have been gifted with,
follow it, now Go Back, it is not your time.
He is blown backwards into nothingness with a great sadness; he
could not stay with the voice and the Forest.
Abanasinia
Darken Wood
Talidaar hears talking but cannot lift his eyelids, but some
light is coming through. The light might be moving; it might be
alive.
He thinks he is with Kira for a moment, then he thinks he is
with the Chieftain's Daughter...
Talidaar feels wet and tries with all of his might to open his
eyelids that just feel so heavy. She thinks he sees and hears
girls laughing as Talidaar feels he is being cleaned. He feels
an abundance of hands upon him, cleaning, everywhere. He is too
out of it to feel embarrassed, but he does wonder where all of
these girls came from and why he feels so soothed and calm. He
only vaguely sees their skin and what they are; his mind almost
puts together the thought of Dryads. His eyelids drop, and he is
out.
Talidaar thinks he is awake because he thinks he can hear Kel
talking to him, but those thoughts drift away.
Talidaar awakens under the darkness of the night, the stars
above. He finds it difficult to move. He sees her in the white
moonlight, a silver Unicorn, unlike anything he has ever seen.
He marvels at her elegant beauty. A deep, gentle voice comes
from her, she says, “sleep.”
…And Talidaar nods off.
#Post#: 1278--------------------------------------------------
280 AC A Druid's Tale: The Story of Talidaar vol. II The World o
f Man Chapter Eight: Forestmaster
By: Dungeon Master Date: December 11, 2025, 3:55 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]A Druid's Tale: The Story of Talidaar
vol. II The World of Man
Chapter Eight: Forestmaster
Talidaar was created by DCR
The Forestmaster was created by Margaret Weis and Tracy
Hickman[/center]
The scene opens in a glade, surrounded by aspens. It is just
after twilight, and within is the sleeping form of a man, lying
on a soft bed of moss. This man bears elvish traits, but this
one has facial hair, at least six days' growth.
The man stirs…
Talidaar suddenly awakens with a start, gasping for life. His
hand clutches his chest; he was sure he was shot by someone with
a crossbow bolt…
Talidaar looks down at his bare chest. He is uninjured.
The bolt… it's gone?
His wounds… they … are healed? The strange word just came to
him. It is an archaic word. Talidaar has never seen anyone
healed in his life. Sure, the stories of his grandfather lit up
his young mind with the idea, but he has never known a world
where it is possible in this day and age.
And yet, it’s the only way he can describe it. His wounds are
completely gone. All of the aches and injuries, all over his
body that he suffered from the beating on the night of Summer
Home, those years ago, are just… gone.
He’s not imagining it. Talidaar examines his naked body to find
that all of the old wounds he has suffered over the years have
seemingly been washed away, like they never happened. He has
been healed, as crazy as it sounds. Now that fact is out of the
way, the next question is, is he dead?
He seems to be breathing normally. You don’t breathe if you’re
dead, right? A memory is closed off to him of a great forest and
a woman saying it was not his time…
Talidaar sits up and takes in the bed of moss he is lying on.
He first notices a bowl of carved wood of fresh water and clean
clothes. There are green leaves that are stacked. Talidaar takes
a look at the leaves, then smells one to confirm, this is
Latherwort; it will produce a cleansing lather that he and his
grandfather have used on wash days growing up. Talidaar uses the
leaves and cleans himself up, and recognizes the clothes are
his; they have been cleaned in a creek and folded and placed
here for him to find.
Talidaar dresses, and stands to his full height, takes a large
breath, and exhales, and is just thankful to still be able to do
this simple action, just to be able to breathe. The truth is, he
has never felt better, never felt more alive…
Talidaar is suddenly awed by the most beautiful sight that he
has ever witnessed. A unicorn of silver moonlight steps
gracefully into the glade with Talidaar. Her radiant
magnificence is immediately overwhelming to Talidaar’s heart, as
he lowers his eyes and bows in reverence to the legendary
Forestmaster of Darken Wood.
Her horn is a shining pearl, and her eyes gleam with
intelligence and wisdom.
In a deep, feminine voice, The Forestmaster observes that “It
is good to see you on your feet, young Talidaar, rise and let's
see how you are.
Talidaar blinks. How does she know my name? Talidaar wonders and
starts to ask,
The Forestmaster answers before he can ask, “A certain kenderken
was sure to tell anyone that would listen to him tell the tale
about his brave friend, the half-elf, Talidaar. Your name was
carried to me by my friends of the forest.”
Talidaar is at once completely humbled and utterly embarrassed,
looks down, partially in shame. Talidaar asks about the people
he was with.
“Your kender companion, and the chieftain’s daughter are well,
and guests of the centaurs of Darken Wood.”
Talidaar feels a sense of responsibility in getting the
chieftain’s daughter home safely to her people and is gratified
that they are being taken care of by the centaurs. Talidaar next
asks the important question of how he is not dead from the
crossbow bolt… it is then that Talidaar is shaken by a sudden
realization. “You healed me?”
The Forestmaster looked to the sky and saw that the first stars
of the evening were beginning to appear. She then looks back to
the half-elf and offers, “I was permitted to intervene; I would
not have done so, for I am a great believer in the great cycle,
as I am sure you understand, but those powers beyond told me
that you, in particular, had more to do to fulfill your
destiny.”
Talidaar is again stunned; he has so many questions, but first,
“Thank you for saving me, master.”
“It was the old gods acting though me that saved you, I want you
to understand that.” The Forestmaster explains, “Your act of
sacrifice, to choose to save the life of another, that act told
me everything about your heart, and I was glad to intercede on
your behalf.”
Talidaar suddenly remembers his dream of the strange green land,
and then he remembers the white stag. Talidaar shares his recent
experiences with this dream of a great black cat in the far-off,
strange green place that was shared with him. He also asks about
the experience with the dream about the white stag and then
seeing it the next day.
After a moment, “You saw the white stag, first in your dreams
and then in reality. That in itself is a powerful omen. given by
a powerful old god, I am permitted to say no more, and so now
you should not speak on it, other than the time is close and
revelation is nearly at hand, but you have another path ahead of
you.”
The Forestmaster and Talidaar reasoned out his dream he had
before the vision of the white stag, even as the red moon begins
its ascent in the sky.
“I am given to know that the green place is called Sahket, in a
place that they call a jungle. There, on the edge of the Blood
Sea of Istar. It is there you find your black great cat. Your
next question is what is a jungle, for you have never
experienced such a place, I understand it is a hot, and steamy
place where the vegetation has run rampant with vines and trees
fighting for sunlight under the canopy.”
Talidaar stays silent, imagining the imagery he is seeing from
her words, and he files it away for later. This is all so much.
The Forestmaser takes his silence to mean she is free to
continue, “A mighty vision indeed. You will have to go to the
far east, a very long way away. You will travel through dark and
deadly lands; you should avoid all patrols in Neraka. It is a
great distance you will be traveling, but I can assist with part
of it. I can help you get to a place where you can travel a
great distance farther than what we could carry you.”
Talidaar is daunted by the enormity of the distance between him
and this Sahket jungle. Talidaar mentions what the half-elf
slaver mentioned about the men of the east, who clip off elven
ears of any elf they capture. “I saw this Slaver’s ear tips were
clipped. Is it true they do that in the east, where I am going?”
The Forestmaster answers truthfully, if a bit sadly, “I’m afraid
that is also what I has heard of the men of the east, take
heart, I am providing with you with the means to infiltrate your
way through the dark lands and hopefully they will see you
through, if you are smart, and wise in how you make you way
across the lands.
The Forestmaster walks him to an array of valuables, on the
ground and on rocks. The Forestmaster informs Talidaar that
these instruments have been blessed by the Gods, and they are
interested in the outcome of this journey.
A folded cloak, the Forestmaster explains, is a cloak of elven
kind, appropriated by kagonesti elves known to her and retrieved
it for her for a special purpose; this is that purpose. Talidaar
picks up the folded cloak and marvels at what he has in his
hands, “These are rumored to render someone invisible in plain
sight.”
“Its ability for obfuscation is great, but it will not work if
you move if you are trying to hide.” The Forestmaster helpfully
confirms its strengths and weaknesses.
On a rock, a gift from Habbakuk, a ring of animal friendship.
Talidaar bends to his knees to retrieve, “A ring of Habakkuk?”
Talidaar questions.
The Forestmaster answers, “Even he has a stake in this.”
Talidaar slides it onto his finger. He thought it would feel
strange, but he was wrong. Its appearance is that of intricate
knotwork that is elvish.
The last item is an old Staff that has been blessed by an old
God. Talidaar approaches it and appraises its appearance. It is
an oak, very old, but well preserved. Talidaar can feel energy
held within.
“It is my hope these items will aid you across your treacherous
path, Your wisdom and bravery will serve you going forward,
speaking of which after you meet with your friends, I will call
the pegasuses winged horses to convey you to Merwellyn where you
will speak with its guardian, a man known as Kaelan the Hermit.”
“He won’t be inclined or forthcoming to help you, but between a
letter I am having drafted and sending with you and you spending
some time with him, I believe you will win him over once he gets
to know you. Just be who you are and he will warm to the other
parts of the letter.”
“Because he will not like this next part of the letter either,
when you return from abroad, I want you to return to Merwellyn
and become his student, and assistant, and one day rightfully
succeed him.”
Talidaar is absolutely speechless. Sure, he had those dreams, is
this that? He does not know what to say; he is honored… surely.
“It is my goddess’s will.” The Forestmaster states.
Talidaar asks about her goddess, “who is she?”
The Forestmaster asks Talidaar if he has heard the name
“Chislev?”
Talidaar has, he answers, “My grandfather taught me about all of
the old gods; we venerated the gods of neutrality. Chislev was
important to my grandfather and to me, as much as the old gods
can be. Yes, she is known to me.”
The Forestmaster says, “Chislev wants you to save that great cat
and further expand your knowledge, your grandfather taught you,
for druidism is a nearly dead way of life; people like your
grandfather carried the seeds of the old way and have passed
them on to you.”
Talidaar wants to talk about this place, the place of his
dreams. “My grandfather and I had a conversation about
Merwellyn, can you tell me if it is real? I have had dreams of
this verdant land beyond Qualinesti, that is untouched by their
hatred.”
“It is one of the last bastions of a land lost forever beneath
the New Sea. It is an ancient place.”
“I am very excited to see it. What is there that will help me on
my journey?” Talidaar asks.
The Forestmaster answers, “There is a rare species of giant
hawks that are known to only nest in the Forsaken Mountain range
that overlooks Merwellyn. Kaelan the Hermit is friends with the
lord of the giant hawks, and I’m going to have it worded for him
to put in a good word for your cause, and that will be important
in securing their aid.
Talidaar is humbled by all of this.
The Forestmaster tells Talidaar, “It will be important for you
remember this old lore as it will become more relevant over
time. A druidic order has been in place since the age of might.
It will be important for you to develop relationships across the
world, for when the druidic order is able to rise to the fore
again. Use this journey to your advantage, but do not take
extreme risks; too much is at stake.
The Forestmaster has Talidaar walk with her. They walk out of
the glade, and he notices a path that was hidden before but is
now revealed. Talidaar walks with the Forestmaster as they leave
the glade. They pass through Darken Wood until they reach the
Satyr’s glade, and beckons a satyr known to her, named Faelos,
to come over.
A half-man, half-goat comes and stands before the Forestmaster.
Talidaar sees that the satyr is just under waist height. The
Forestmaster bids the satyr, “Please take young Talidaar to
Ithax to reunite him with his friends for the night, and I will
see you in the morning to see you off.”
Talidaar bows to the Forestmaster and bids her good night before
joining the satyr on the trail to the centaurs.
*****************************************************