D&D Caelynn 1

Opening my eyes the world slowly comes into focus. Am I waking up? I don’t think so. My head is pulsing. Reaching up to feel the source I can feel the wet stick of drying blood. Time to look around.

Sweeping my gaze through the thin trees around I can see a small camp or what used to be a camp. A number of items are strewn about. Evidence of a struggle and a search? The struggle explains the head injury and possible memory loss. What was whoever or whatever looking for? What have I lost in this struggle? More than my memory. Slowly, I gather what little supplies that remain salvageable when I hear crackling from behind. Twigs snap and rustling continues. The minute hairs stand up on the back of my neck and I reach slowly for a rock near my right foot. Kneeling, the best I can do it hurls the rock towards the source of the noise. Unfortunately, my aim is lacking and it whacks a tree. Staring into the darkness within, a pair of yellow eyes light and I yell, “What?!” Was this beast what attacked me before? Has it come to ensure I am finished?

Stepping forward, a dark wolf is revealed. Snarling and angry, saliva drips from pearled fangs. Fight or flight kicks in and I know it’s time to fight. A quarterstaff is among the items I have gathered. Gripping it tightly I dart forward and swing downwards. The beast is swift and manages to dodge out of the way. It goes to lunge and I take a hurried step back and with a stabbing motion force my staff into the wolf’s snout. Its nasal cavity thrusts into its brain, killing the predator.

Panting, I decide to take a more thorough look around. A thought flashes in my mind. Faerie Fire. I know a spell? Time to test this ability out. Casting. The area surrounding me is displayed in a new light. A mist surrounds an abject on the slumped body of the wolf. Collecting it, I find it is a note, addressed to Caelynn. Me?

“You are needed. Come forth to the clearing due east by three miles.”

Somehow I know distinctly where I am and what direction to head in. Certain qualities about myself start to a rise in my conscious thought. I need water. I need to see my own reflection. Perhaps, it will help me regain some of my loss memory.

East being in direction, I head that way. About a mile into the trek I come across a pond. Perfect. Making my way to the edge of the still water I look down to see what looks back. An elf. Very light white skin with bluish accents near the structure of bones. Blue hair, waist length. Thin and very tall. Roughly six feet, although that’s an estimate. Silver eyes. My body is wrapped in a light leather type of armor. Symbols across the armor indicate I am a Druid and I originate from some woodland source. Sadly, nothing is my memory stirs. I suppose I must be moving on.

I soon arrive at a cliff rising up above my head. East is my direction, so I will continue. Climbing steadily I get lost in thought and then find my hand landing directly into a birds nest. A hawk quickly proceeds to attack me and attempts to claw out my eyes. Frantically, I throw my fist in an attempt to free myself from the creatures attack. It lands with such force that the hawk in every sense of the word explodes. I gasp with wide eyes and what I have done. Have I really such strength? The shock is extremely distracting but I finally make it to the top of the cliff. I joke with myself, perhaps I should be in better shape. No more smoking. Do I even smoke?

I feel a sudden sense that I am now being drawn to the east. I quickly sit on the ground. I will not be controlled. A voice seems to echo in my ears but also seems distant. A child? An animal? Intrigued I start again east. A flash shoots through my vision. A memory? Two humanoid figures stand in a field. A human male speaks out to an elf of the same.

“Tell me what your elf eyes see,” the human demands.

“I see a girl and a dog fleeing. They are being pursued by numerous bullywugs.”

I’ve been holding my breath. Finally sucking in oxygen I am myself again. How can that be a memory if I am hearing their voices now? Quickening my pace, I proceed to the source. Through another collection of trees, I spot them. The female sees me as well and sharply turns my direction quickening her pace. There are at least 15 of these “bullywug” creatures pursuing her with spears raised. She calls out to me for help. Another flash in my mind. A spell? Thunder wave.

Focusing on this mob of frogs, I slam my palms together for a mighty clap. The female quickly realizes that I am casting and charges for cover behind a nearby boulder. The dog dutifully follows her. They crouch down as my hand makes contact and a mighty blast erupts forward. The booming of thunder is heard and electricity forms a wave slamming into the hoard before me. The bullywugs are blown back over the edge of a hill further behind them. This is enough to intimidate them. The assumed leader makes way for the group to retreat. The girl is now peeking out to take in the result as the leader looks back directly at her as if to say this isn’t over.

The girl looks unnerved but shifts her gaze back to me.

“Are you here to help me?” A teenager. Blonde hair, piercing blue eyes.

Unsure of how to respond I come up with a simple but direct, “Why?”

“I have to stop him from rising, but I can’t do it alone. A demon prince is being summoned forth into reality in my home. They are using a sacred place and I can’t let that happen.”

The dog of hers has made its way over to me and now appears to be sniffing at my rear. I immediately swing my staff toward the forward animal, threatening what may happen if it were to continue. The female looks offended.

“Why would you do that? He is just trying to get to know you!”

The dog then looks up suddenly. Following suit, a crow is seen circling. Is it a crow? It’s pure white. The crow lands between us. Its eyes are...wrong. Not of an animal, but the green of a man. It caws.

“Hold on,” the girl says, “I can cast to speak to it.” Then casts the spell and speaks to the crow directly, “What do you want?”

The crow caws again. Confusion strikes her face, “Something’s not right. I should be able to understand. However, I believe it wants us to follow it.”

She’s nuts. I knew something was wrong with this one.