Back Stories

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Grenli here! I was raised in the Forest of Dewlore, located in the elven woods of Ürlinia. Not by any family, but by the forest and its creatures. I made many friends with the wildlife throughout my life, and in this process I learned in the ways of the druid and took on the responsibility of nurturing and protecting the forest and its inhabitants. In recent times, I have noticed that the forest is declining, and nothing I can do seems to be working anymore. The wildlife are not as lively, and some are even falling prey to illness. I also feel that it is not just my forest that is being afflicted but others as well. So, I have decided to set out in order to snuff out the root of the problem and bring the forests back to life.

I am a friend of all nature and its creatures. In fact, I am currently traveling with one of my closest companions. She is an owl named Britix, and she has been by my side since she was a wee owlet. I am wise in my old age and have learned many things throughout my years in the forest. I am very kind, curious, and gentle, but generally only with wildlife and elven folk. It is important to note, however, that I should not be taken lightly. Should anything that is dear to me become threatened, harmed, or endangered, my wrath will be ensued, and I will not hold back!

I am a druid of the Circle of the Moon. The members of this circle are fierce guardians of the wilds. Their order gathers under the full moon to share news and trade warnings. They haunt the deepest parts of the wilderness where they might go for weeks on end before crossing paths with another humanoid creature, let alone another druid. Changeable as the moon, a druid of this circle might prowl as a great cat one night, soar over the trees as an eagle the next day, and crash through the undergrowth in bear form to drive off a trespassing monster. The wild is in the druid's blood.

Here is my background story for Nioz.  Warning it is kind of dark.
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A half-elf named Nioz sits against a large rock in the woods where he had been practicing his magic.  He looks to his left and scowls as if someone is bothering him.  With a heavy sigh he begins to speak.

“So you wish to know the story of my past?  Then listen well for I will not repeat myself.  Few know this tale and even fewer of them still breathe. “
Nioz leans his head back and half shuts his eyes as if he were delving deep into his own mind to open memories long ignored.

“Very well.  Many years ago I served as a farmhand in a quiet town. Long had I tended to crops and lived a peaceful life.  I never had a farm to call my own, but the human family I helped always treated me like family.  I often wondered if perhaps one of them was the Human father that my Elven mother had refused to speak of. Even as I watched her die she still refused to give me even the slightest clue as to who he was.  She simply told me he was no good.”

With a look violent shake of his head and an audible grunt Nioz stopped speaking for a second before he continued.

“Never mind that, for that is a different story for another time.  So as I stated I worked with this family of farmers.  Never did we have issue and never did I know them to make enemies.  Then one night a group of Orcs bandits or perhaps just violent Orc raiders came through the town slaughtering everyone.  We could see the fires and hear the screams coming from the town.  We hoped we would be safe since the farm was pretty far out from town.  However, I knew I had to go help.  I had to save HER.  The human girl I had grown to love.  The idea of her being hurt brought me both fury and worry.  I had to act.  I grabbed a scythe from the tools and darted off from the farm, ignoring the screams and pleas of the farmer family.  I knew where she would be and I had to save her.”

Again Nioz stopped his story.  A flash a pain shot across his face.  
“Her name was Asa and I loved her.  I recall the exact look of her face when I found her.  She was lying on the ground covered in blood lying next to the town well.  In my adrenaline to find her I had ignored all around me.  That is when I heard the voice behind me ‘You fool.  You come charging in here to die just to see a dead girl.’  I could tell the voice came from an Orc behind me.  In that moment I knew I would die, but I also noticed there was still life in Asa’s eyes.  She looked at me and reach out with her hand towards my face.  Her mouth opened weakly and she spoke ‘I…am..glad..Ni...’ just then she erupted into the flames and I heard booming laughter from behind me.  The Orc behind me was cleary the leader of the group and was some type of mage.  He had used his magic to burn her before my own eyes while he laughed in enjoyment.  Another Orc then grabbed me and spun me around to face him.  The mage Orc leader then addressed me again ‘You are hilarious, to waste your life on a meaningless human.  I thank you though.  You ran here right by my scouts.  You showed me there is more fun outside of town.  I assume a farm of some sorts.  Thanks to you the fun keeps growing.’  I was full of rage and despair I wanted to speak but found my throat closed.  I was powerless to this vile creature and his lackey that held me.”

“Finally, the Orc laughed again and then spoke one last time to me ‘I had hoped you would be more fun, but guess puny Elf Human mutts no speak. Kill him.’  I instantly felt a hot warm searing pain through my back as the Orc that was holding me stabbed me with a dagger.  I fell to the ground as he dropped me.  I could feel my own puddle of blood around me.  Without another word the Orcs walked away in the direction of the farm.”

“I knew I was going to die, but I refused.  I began to crawl in the direction they went, but my strength was leaving me rapidly.  I knew there was nothing I could do.  Such power was beyond me.  I began to curse and cry out.  I assumed nothing would hear me.  I was surrounded by flaming buildings and corpses.  However, someone…no something heard me.  I did not understand the response at first.  It was like garbled noises inside my head.  Then suddenly it felt as a flash in my mind and I could understand.  A dark entity had heard my cries.  He was amused in my fury and in my rage.  He offered me a deal for my life.  A deal to avenge Asa.  A strange power coursed through my body.  I suddenly floated off the grown and felt my wound leave.  Like a flash I soared towards the farm.  I arrived just in time to see the Orc mage and his group slaughter the family I had I served.  The Orcs all grinned and laughed, relishing in the death of others.  The Orcs all spun around as if they heard me coming.  Then I realized I was laughing.  Hysterically.  The power racing through me was a dark energy.  It had taken control of me, but I loved it.  I laughed louder and louder as a dark wave of energy burst out of me in all directions.  All of the Orcs fell to the ground dead. Save one, the mage leader.  He opened his mouth to speak, but more energy poured out of me.  A purple light surged forward towards him.  I watched as he evaporated before my eyes.  Soon all I could see left was his skull and it rolled across the ground.  I continued to laugh uncontrollably.  Just as suddenly as the power had consumed me it evaporated and I fell to the ground.

“I suddenly heard four words loud and audible ring out across the land. ‘YOU. NOW. SERVE. ME.’ It was some type of Elder Evil or something of the sorts, but I dare not speak his name.”

Nioz then stood up stretched a little and turned back to look at the one he was speaking to.  

“You may think I hate Orcs or those that use magic.  However, the opposite is true.  The only one I hated was myself.  I had never realized just how weak I was.  I was powerless.  Of course times have changed and now I grow with power each day.”

“It is not those I lost, or the pain I felt that day that drives me.  Instead it is the power I felt.  The dark power that consumed me.  It was beyond anything I had or perhaps ever will experience.  It was unreal.  Such power exists and I will obtain it.  With ever companion met, every foe slain, I grow in power.  That Dark One lends me his power to cast magic and I seek every opportunity to learn new ways to use that power.”

For a brief moment, Nioz took the form of the Orc mage he had faced years ago.  He examined himself and then transformed back into his natural form.  Finally being done with his story, Nioz smiled widely and looked down at the skull next to him.  “Alas though you already know all of this.  I do not know why you love to hear this story of my past so much.  I know you served the same master.  You were weak and I was weaker.  Too bad for you he saw much more in me.  Now let’s go the day’s end draws near.”

With that Nioz reached down and pick up the skull that laid on the stump next to him that he had been speaking to.  He shoved Orc’s skull back into the deep pockets of his robe.  “Silence now.  We must return to the guild hall.”
 
Nioz then quietly made his way out of the woods and back to the White Swords Guild.