The story of Maria Nightfeather
It was the smoke that she first detected. A faint harsh, acrid tang of smouldering wood. At first she couldn’t place the source, but it was unusual for forest fires to start at this time of year… and even more unusual that her village had not already dealt with it.
A few moments more, and the smell was stronger. This was no forest fire, her Elven senses noted the faint odour of burned woodland, and scorched trees that gave way to a more sickening odour of partly cooked meat. This was the stench of war…
Mai’Rai stood frozen in place as she noted the devastation of her village. The small community that had been her home for over 70 years was gone. The bodies of dead friends and family were strewn haphazardly around. It was clear that some had tried to fight whilst others fleed. They had all suffered the same fate. The fate had a name…. Orcs! A pitiless cold settled on Mai’Rai as she carefully picked her way through the village checking it for signs of life. There were none. Feeling helpless and without hope, the young elf fell the floor and wept…
She was found hours later by Stillclaw, a human traveller known to the village. Stillclaw always had a strange relationship with village elders, he was human and yet accepted, probably because of his druidic power, and the aid he rendered the village over the years. To Mai’Rai he had always looked fierce and forbidding and was best avoided. This didn’t seem to matter now. Lost in the grip of despair, she was experiencing the guilt that all survivors of such disasters feel.
Mai’Rai had been on her “Quith’a’lar” – time of testing. Her power had blossomed some years before as the divine magic flared within her. Her natural affinity to the forest and its animals and people made her a perfect choice as a druid warden. The young girl had trained for years in the tending of wood. Learning woods law, survival and the healing touch. Her last task before being accepted as an acolyte of the circle of land, was to experience the wilderness and meet her spirit guide.
Mai’Rai had been away nearly 10days, before returning in anguish, she had failed to find her guide, and had disgraced her calling and her family. All this was now forgotten as she dealt with the enormity of the destruction.
“Be at peace child” (a peculiar observation she noted as Mai’Rai was at least 20 years older than the human, but her soul cried out for solace), “you can do nothing more for these.” The simple words filled the void in her heart. She wanted to die…
“You have a choice, lay down and die and dishonour you village, or take vengeance on those responsible.”
The words lit up like a touchpaper to fill her. Anger flared white hot, suffering and pain lent it strength and substance.
“Yes child, take it all in. Feel the pain here, and the distortion of nature. Understand the cost of what has happened, and use it to make you whole, I will help you.” Elves are slow to anger, and even slower to take decisions of magnitude whilst angry, but Mai’Rai had no time for that now as the she felt the touch of a primal power. The Human Druid’s eyes glowed, turning feral and power flowed into her.
Without further comment, Mai’Rai followed Stillclaw from the village, picking up only two things. A scimitar lying dropped on the floor by her home, and her mother’s owl feather cloak, which had miraculously escaped the fires. Mai’Rai never did find her spirit guide, instead she found something far more useful.
…
Arriving at the village of Greenist, Stillclaw was able to prevail upon farmsteaders to provide Mai’Rai with a home. He explained that Aron Ploughand and his wife Ignata were friends and would look after her. Mai’Rai felt awkward around the humans, she was able to speak their common tongue but not well, and it became apparent they spoke no elvish. Her name caused problems for the humans, and they finally settled on ‘Maria’.
Maria toiled on the farmstead, using her elven training and druidic powers to help with the planting and the animal husbandry. Periodically Stillclaw would take her away on trips into the wilderness to teach her signs, and spore, and the ways of the druid. This new training was different from her elven lore. It was far more practical and all directly applicable to finding and killing those who despoiled nature. Maria’s natural impatience to find the despoilers of her village was curbed by the efforts of Stillclaw. He taught her to use the weapons she had, he taught her patience and he taught her the rituals of the moon. She could feel herself growing closer to the hour when she could search out the Orcs and wreak revenge upon them. All it took was a little more time… time to prepare, time to forge her spirit in the fire hot fires of justice, (and she recognised - revenge) and time to redeem her honour. She could feel the animal within, it only waited for the correct time!
… time … passes…
The final test was a strange one. Stillclaw’s explanation was that the Shriving was meant to leave behind old ties, and forge new ones. He noted that, as the powers of nature and harmony strengthened her body and spirit, those must be directed by her will. He noted that Maria’s greatest enemy was herself, a lack of control, which would frustrate her attempts to become the instrument of revenge. Each druid’s Shriving taught an individual lesson. Maria’s lesson was Beregost.
It seemed strange that her journey to the major town was such a simple one. It was even stranger that the 5 days she spent there, living in the filth and stink of the city were to be her testing ground. She practiced patience, but the Shriving test did not present itself.
Sitting alone in a tavern, boredom (and a little too much ale), caused her to pay less attention than was appropriate. Maria only became aware of the group after one of them, a Dragontouched raised his monotone voice. They were discussing a journey to Greenist. Intrigued Maria ventured closer, and became involved in the discussion.
An eclectic group sat around a table, a human, dragontouched, a gnome, a dwarf and a halfling. Unusual in composition this group appeared to have some purpose. Something primal told Maria that it lacked… balance. With a flash she was convinced that this was the reason for her visit to Beregost. To meet this group and that they were her Shriving.
Quickly agreeing to guide them the following morning, Maria’s excitement grew. She took time to learn a little about her ‘comrades’.
The journey back to Greenist was lively (mainly due to the Gnome’s incessant questions) and the fact that none of them appeared to have much travel craft. This was a surprise given the supposedly well-travelled ‘dwarves’. Maria was enjoying her journey and happy to be out of Beregost.
It was then that the smell of smoke wafted on the light breeze. Instinctively Maria knew this wasn’t a camp fire, and the proximity to Greenist made her heart begin to pound. Not again, please NOT again…
Her fears were dashed as emerging from the he hills surrounding Greenist, columns of smoke poured into the sky. The sound of screens in the distance spoke of an assault in progress. Maria was almost stunned into inaction. Only the Dwarf Flint, rushing past her towards the fighting was sufficient to stir her into action.
Running wildly after the Dwarf, blinking back tears that were nothing to do with the smoke, Maria felt the rage rise within her. She passed the toiling Dwarf and rushed straight at the attackers. The stink of reptilian Kobold filled her nostils. The kobolds were attacking villagers. Without thinking Maria unleashed Natures power, hurling kobolds aside as a thunderclap of energy smashed into vile creatures. Were it not for her companions Maria later reflected she would have died…
The battle was short but not without danger, Maria and the Dwarf has both taken wounds. Careful trying to conceal her injuries and ashamed of her stupidity, she healed her wounds, and focused on the survivors. Lynan, Kuff and her children were scared. They didn’t recognise Maria, and the need for speed to get to the main keep prevented re-acquaintance. Then something else claimed immediate attention. A shadow passed overhead, huge and forbidding, a great drake flew overhead, unleashing a bolt of flame to engulf another building.
Spurred into action, the group rushed towards the keep. Ignoring stealth, and taking a direct path, they encountered two more patrols, both of these with human commanders, each of whom had spellcasting powers. Maria’s natural tendency to rush to bring justice to these creatures was slightly tempered by her wounds, they finally made it to the main gate, bloodied and battered but with the family still in toe.
Greenist
The situation inside the keep was worse than she feared, too few people filled the keep. From experience Maria knew that on high holidays the grounds were crowded. Tears leapt unbidden down her face. “It’s happening again… again… “ the voice of her memory shouted loudly, until a whisper countered it… “only this time you can do something about it.”
As she opened her eyes, new resolve filling her soul, Governor Nightell approached…
