"Each of us is the lonesome, frayed thread that combines to make the most splendid garment! Each of us is the curious, off-time note that comprises the inspirational song! Each of us is the smudged, slanted word that links arms to form the excitable story!"
-Pharlynn the Fair
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The Crest of Lady Rookstride: A grey-eyed viper frothing at the mouth coiled around a noxious Potion flask.
The Crest of Sir Ashlane: A rotted skull clutching a silver skeleton key between its teeth.
CHAPTER ONE: SHAL'NERAE
"Where I am from, the soul of Nature sings without ceasing. Here, it only screams." -Paristal
Synopsis: The looming arrival of Lady Rookstride and her gruesome cadre loom heavy on the horizon, but Anata Sokovi has hatched an impassioned scheme to deliver a most impressive tribute that puts us on the path to adventure. We begun his work, gathering hard-fought reward from a battle with the twisted agents of Nature, beginning our campaign to bring down the dreaded Bear-Beast known as The Emerald Queen. Mother Ghost once more eluded my gaze, and my strange, misunderstood Elven friend did indeed find his freedom...
CHAPTER TWO: THIS CURIOUS MAN
"Do me a favor, will you? If you die, try and do so in the water—keeps the fish nice and well-fed!” -Old Man Royvos
Synopsis: Thanks to the support of my friends, I managed to bury Paristal in the Graveyard of our Village. This was a most unpopular decision, and I understand why. The people of our community did not know the Elf as I did, and I do not begrudge them for their fear of a Stranger from a land beyond Rookhelm. As if things were not already eventful enough, a newcomer to our land named Ginderdaine Tollywaddle made a dramatic entrance and is currently staying at our Village to rest from his impressive travels. How does he manage to be swept away by these strange Mists to all of these far off places? I have many questions to answer. My friends Kirian and Kogollen ventured to the dark and murky banks of Lake Swillig to recover a rare plant for the furthering of Anata's wild plan, and every day that passes brings Lady Rookstride's visit that much closer.
CHAPTER THREE: QUEENS OF THE REALM
"Waste of a good apple, that." -Grott
Synopsis: This black day saw two royal figures make their grand appearances, with the final battle between the Emerald Queen and her inspired pursuers finally concluding with her fearsome reign being ended. I personally saw the beast brought low, and her strength in battle was formidable, but the Fates saw us through. The great bear's hide made an enviable cloak masterfully crafted by Pharlynn the Fair to be gifted to Lady Rookstride for this month's Tribute from Hallondry, but alas, I fell victim to exhaustion after long hours lost in translating Paristal's journal, and succumbed to sleep before I could personally witness Lady Rookstride's arrival. As I rush to write this and head into the Village the morning after, I am overwhelmed by a sickening feeling that I cannot quite explain.
CHAPTER FOUR: CLARAVELLE & THE DUCHESS
“Remember! You are scrounging for memories, and the price for a memory is almost always a bloody one.” - Anata Sokovi
Synopsis: I returned to Hallondry to the wretched news of what our cursed Ruler demanded as her vile Tribute. With Pharlynn's presence so cruelly stripped from Hallondry, a noticeable malaise hangs in the air. A rare and special thing has been taken from our community, and I will never be able to forgive myself for not being there to do anything I could to have stopped it. Some members of the Village meet at The Three Steeds to drown our sorrows about current events, but a sobbing revelation from Anata Sokovi sets us on a path towards freeing Hallondry from the stained grip of the hideous Lady Rookstride. My friends and I visit what turned out to be her former home, seeing a rare glimpse of her sordid past, and setting us on course for our next step towards salvation.
CHAPTER FIVE: WE ARE HUNGRY MEN
"Woof!" -Inkwell
Synopsis: Forgive me as I try to recall the events most previous, but the ringing in my ears and the pounding in my head have yet to subside. After our triumph at the very edge of Rotsplinter, my friends and I were paid a visit by the spirited town mascot, Inkwell the Dog. After a rousing session of play, things turned dire as the fragments of our most precious Artifact-Flask were stolen by a most unlikely culprit, leading us on a dramatic chase through the grim woods of Rotsplinter. After reclaiming the most precious bundle and vanquishing one of the endless threats of the insane woods, we returned to camp to find a most unpleasant gift awaiting us. A clever ambush followed, and I awoke in the custody of hopeless, forlorn strangers...
CHAPTER SIX: BURNING BRIGHT
"The Lady of the Viper and Flask, yes? Has a regal ring to it. Might make for a fine crest someday." -Lady Thademont
Synopsis: After being ransomed from the clutches of the starving Refugees of Gristlewick, my friends and I continued our quest to topple the reign of this Realm's vicious Ruler. Our journey took us to a place of searing heat and soot and charred, blackened memories, and I dare say it may take the remainder of my Dwarven life to be free of the smell of sulfur and ash that will long linger on in my memory. Our dangerous expedition yielded many fruits, however, and we did indeed learn the identity of the fabled Mother Ghost, as well as her ties to the abominable Lady Rookstride. We require but one last piece of our artifact before we can enact the final part of our plan: The liberation of Hallondry and all the realm from the stained fingers of our ambitious, insane malefactor.
CHAPTER SEVEN: KEEPING UP APPEARANCES
"Take your time to grieve, yes, but do not become suffering's avatar. I assure you, it does not need one." -Brother Lekial
Synopsis: In our exuberance to see Rookhelm freed of Lady Rookstride's foul influence, my friends and I had been neglectful of our duties to Hallondry. To allay any suspicions the Elder of our Village might have regarding our extended absences, we took to the streets and spent the better part of the day aiding the colorful residents of our beleaguered home. It was good to reconnect with the long suffering denizens of this place, and I think we managed to bring just a bit of comfort to those in desperate need of it during these dark times. Even still, we managed to progress our grand quest further in securing a guide for both the abandoned surface of the nightmare-town known as Gristlewick, as well as its infested underground. The next bloody stretch of our journey leads us there, and I cannot help but dread the events to come.
CHAPTER EIGHT: MEAT FOR THE MEAT KING
"Surely, Lover will salivate upon the tender cuts these morsels shall provide!" -Cook Carla
Synopsis: The nightmare ghost-town of Gristlewick was the last morbid chapter in the story of Lady Rookstride's horrific past after her escape from Thademont House and the atrocities she committed there. My friends and I cautiously took to the streets above that monstrous place, seeing first hand the carnage and chaos that brought our Neighboring town low. Despite the grim landscape around us, we found triumph in our acquisition of the last piece of our most precious treasure, but that victory was short lived, however, and we were ushered through the cavernous bowels of Gristlewick to endure a strange audience with its ravenous ruler. After striking a morbid pact with the fiend known only as Shaprtongue, we saw the surface once more, facing the fulfillment of a grim, bloody promise.
CHAPTER NINE: KNIGHT OF THE SKULL AND KEY
"My task here is done." -Eggrick
Synopsis: I am loathe to confess that in order to defeat one bestial fiend, we formed a grim pact with another. The vile Cannibal-leader known only as Sharptongue and his slavering horde 'aided' my friends and I on our assault on Sir Ashlane's Guardhouse. With trembling hands, I was able to launch a poisoned arrow, coated in an anti-serum that would rob the Knight of his supernatural strength and vigor. Luckily, one of my arrows were true and we managed to secure a most succulent meal for the King of Gristlewick's underground. Meanwhile, our Village found some reason for happiness, as Thurder the Stablemaster successfully proposed to his longtime paramour, Grivelda. I cannot remember the last time Hallondry had reason to celebrate, and I anticipate the wedding alongside my friends. That happy event will be the last we see of our Village before we clash with the grim Ruler of Rookhelm directly. With her most potent ally downed, Lady Rookstride's defeat is that much closer, and our last destination on our epic quest leads us directly to the blasted gates of her beautiful Manor Home.
CHAPTER TEN: IT IS AS IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN
"My word, isn't it just delicious to get unexpected Visitors?" -Mrs. Tetherbank
Synopsis: Our Village reveled in celebration and mirth for the first time that I can easily recall, and it was a fine thing to see so many smiling faces among those that live alongside us. We drank and we danced and we made merry for one memorable wedding before venturing to the horrific lair of our Realm's foul Warden. Leaving the happiness and security of our homes behind, we paid one last visit to a fallen friend before embarking on the last leg of our journey. I dare not speak of what we encountered there, and I shall do all in my power to put such memories behind me, but we saw the day won and brought an end to Lady Rookstride's foul reign, clearing the skies once and for all and returning some form of sanity to the land. With her venomous influence gone, my friends and I are free to explore beyond the borders of our once-isolated home, and oh, how my heart soars to think what we might find in the lands beyond...
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