Vigo was slain in town by his own thrall… Everyone was there to witness it. With Titania’s dagger, his enthralled troll stabbed him in the neck. Whatever possessed it to do so, we may never know.

After his death and everyone left the town, I went to investigate the body. A dark miasma began to rise from his corpse as I got closer to it, and eventually his clothes and flesh all completely disintegrated. Oddly enough, only his bones were left behind. I ordered my men to bring those bones to Grey Arrow. My advisors questioned me about it, and even I had no explanation as to why I made that decision.

The only explanation I could come up with was that Vigo’s influence over the Myth Wood was strong and dangerously powerful despite his evil intentions. And with the strange note we received talking about the rage of the titans of Tartarus, this power could potentially come in handy at some point and if we ever needed it again, these bones could be the answer to retrieving that power once more. My advisors give me great insight into the decisions I make, but without the insight and opinions of King Balin and Jarl Elric, my closest companions, I had to make these decisions on my own and hoped that they were the right ones.

I knew that bringing the bones of Vigo into the keep, and keeping them in the Myth Wood at all was a bad idea. I knew that making this decision without consulting the other great minds in the wood, was a terrible mistake. But one thing I knew for sure, was that the safety of the woods was my top priority and is my duty to protect. If I have to call upon a power we tried arduously to destroy in order to protect it, then so be it. I’ll take time to prepare ahead and take great precautions when dealing with such evil. That much I understand and can guarantee for the people.

Not only will I have to deal with having the bones of Vigo in my home, there are always those in the woods who are watching. Word will have spread of these remains being in Grey Arrow and I must take precautions against that as well. His followers were just as evil as he was, but they were loyal and held him in great esteem. No doubt they will try to bring their leader back from the dead.

It’s only a matter of time until the wood becomes a war torn region once more. Whether it be a civil war or war against the gods. No matter what, we will do all in our power to be ready.

After the defeat of the skulls, a celebration was in order. It felt like an everlasting fog had been lifted and purpose had been made clear. There was so much left to do and so many things to learn.

Once things settled down, the minor lords and stewards organized a tournament and festival to celebrate victory over the skulls. Craftsmen, enchanters, and chefs came from distant lands to sell their strange and exotic wares. It was a time of merriment, which I gladly took part of.

After having to take up the mantle of leadership, I had been drowning in meetings and paperwork, always one minor issue after another and it never seemed to end. I decided to take a break from it all and try my luck in the tournaments.

Soldiers and mercenaries from all of the Myth Wood were there to participate.  When it was my turn in the ring, I fell on my arse a few too many times for my liking. I was disappointed at how terrible my swordsmanship was and decided I needed to improve it. I just… didn’t know who to ask or where to start. I didn’t feel like I could ask any of the soldiers or mercenaries. I’d be paying a pretty penny for a chance to increase my swordsmanship, but it would also offer a chance to slander my name. Bardic stories of the wrong kind could easily ruin my reputation, which I could not afford at the time. Instead I decided to go back to Grey Arrow to see if there was anything in the library on swordplay or something similar. I don’t remember how many hours I spent in that library, but what I found made every hour worth it.

Deep in the archives I came across some old scrolls tucked away in the back of the shelves. It spoke of special training for young gifted Gray Elf children to create what was called a “Vardr”. The majority of the time, many of the children failed the first trial. The Trial of Gar it was called. An incredibly technical trial of swordsmanship. It required the focusing of an inner “Selbho”or magic power that affected the physiology of the subject. Reportedly, only three in ten pass the trial. Those who didn’t pass had all magical power burned from them, but those who did gained lightning quick reflexes, their eyes changed, and other bodily enhancements were noted. It was a terrifying and disturbing read, but intriguing nonetheless.

If the young elves survived the first trial, they would then move onto another test which is known as the Trial of Weid, which involved the focusing your “Selbho” through the eyes, and allowed for better magical vision, and understanding. Unfortunately, it also resulted in partial blindness to normal sight. There was very little information on the details of the trial, but according to the name it must’ve had something to do with traversing your own dreams in attempts to find an answer to something? Or maybe to confront something to surpass one’s own abilities.

After finding these scrolls, these  “trials” have been on my mind ever since. I wanted to find where these “trials” were being conducted, I wanted to find how to use this “Selbho”, and lastly… I wanted to see if it was possible to either train, or even become one. It sounds ridiculous, and it sounds dangerous and idiotic, but I HAD to know.

Welcome to the Wood

As I awoke from what seemed to be an eternal slumber, I had no idea where I was or what happened to me before I woke. All I had was my sword, armor and a small amount of money in my pouch. Was I dead? Is this the afterlife? A dream maybe? So many questions, but  no one to answer them. I figured I should probably find out where I am first and answer my questions later.

I got up and walked around a bit and eventually found myself at a gate. A gate that seemed to lead into some woods that I have never seen before. Almost immediately after I heard a voice, a woman’s voice, “Go…” I looked around to find out where it was coming from, but to no avail. I heard it again, “Go… Go through the gates and you’ll find what you’re searching for.” I looked back at the gates and without hesitation, walked straight through. Continue reading Rokai’s Welcome to the Wood →