So I had a conversation with Ben and I mentioned that I had done fanfictions of characters that I play, He suggested that I should put them on a blog much like he has done therefore the two previous posts. The first one was a D&D 4th ed character that I was playing, but we only had 3 sessions before we canned the campaign. and the second one is something I wrote up because I had to expand on the three leaders that my orc army has in an upcoming campaign. I was the first person to place my armies and so I had to have names and stats, as such I forwarded the following information to Davo.
Big Bad Warboss Skuzbag da Slow - Hex 26
- Black Orc Warboss on foot with Shield, and the Armour of Gork.
Boss Vorbash - Hex 35
- Black Orc Warboss on War Boar with Shield, Basha's Axe of Stunty Bashin', Talisman of Preservation and an Ironcurse Icon.
Boss Bishnak - Hex 15
- Orc Warboss on Wyvern with a Sword of Might, Enchanted Shield and Talisman of Endurance.
Unfortunately I did have have the time to properly give them names or think about their personalities. But then I encountered the problem of having to retroactively give them more back story. Thus I chose to write a fanfiction a term I found when trying to find out the titles that empire lords would use. I think I spent about half a day on the orcs and maybe two full days on Voadkyn, Voadkyn had a lot more research and thought.
I believe the time that I spent on these writings was Well Spent rather than Time Wasted. I also noticed that doing these things was one of the few times that my mind is totally absorbed into something, a phenomenon that never happens while doing assignments.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Blood in the Badlands
The account of Landsknecht Gordo Leichbart
before Balthasar Zuchav, Earl of Lukovitch on his return from a
skirmish against the new Incursion of orcs lead by Skuzbag the Slow.
B: Where are you men Landsknecht, and what happened to the glorious skill of the Landsknechte
of The Open Plain
G: Well sir the orc inc....
B: No excuses now Landsknecht
we hired you to collect information on the new incursion of Skuzbag the Slow,
and the handsome amount that we are willing to pay will be more than enough for
you to recoup your losses if it is as thorough as I am to believe..... It is
very thorough is it not?
G: Yes sir
B: Carry on then.
G: Well sir we scouted the area around
Mount Bloodhorn and caught sight of Vorbash and his Boar riders but they were
far off and hunting down caravans so we journeyed on...
B: Go on
G: Well, after several days march
through the mountains we caught sight of a wyvern scouting us, we assume with
Bishnak on top, so we prepared for a battle. but nothing eventuated, we
continued on until we found a Black Orc with a pet snotling smashing his axe
into the side of the mountain. By our information this would be Skuzbag the
Slow. We were hesitant to approach, suspecting a trap and just as we had
prepared our weapons, the Skuzbag let out a horrific war cry...
B:...
G: Well the mountain erupted with
Orcs and Goblins of all kinds, a group of black orcs swarmed to Skuzbag and
hundreds of snotlings charged in front. Two savage orc shamans were seen
chanting in a frenzied state and a group of orc BigUns with spear and shield
charged into view. We held our ground but the orcs seemed happy to wait for us.
As our group easily outnumbered them I called for a charge to destroy them. As
we got closer the black orcs counter charged us with Skuzbag smashing through
our ranks with the force of a steam tank. We were holding our own and gaining
ground when I took a breath to marvel in the glories of Sigmar. But in the sky
was not a vision of holiness but of a wyvern and two giant green hands holding
a handful of squirming orcs and goblins. These handfuls were placed behind our
ranks and fear gripped some of our units as screaming fanatics with a
distinct style smashed through our
ranks. Our canoneers who had shot several shells into the black orcs to minimal
effect then sought to have a last ditch effort at Bishnak on the wyvern before
they were overrun by a group of spider riders.... I think I forgot to mention
them...
B: No this is fine, your
information is being extremely useful.
G: Oh, well this isn't even the
interesting part, They got a straight shot off, a direct hit, I could have
sworn that the ball was going right for him, but at the last second the ball
disappeared in a puff of green smoke. On the horizon, I could see a massive
Araknarok Spider and a green giant ambling towards us and I knew we should make
a tactical withdrawal.
G: Well we cut through the enemy lines that barred our
retreat slaying all that stood in our path with the biguns and black orcs
taunting us as we fled. They did not lay a dedicated chase though and we
thought our withdrawal successful. But before we had run a mile a huge dust
storm clouded the horizon and I struggled to control my troops as the gutless
weaklings broke rank. When I had called them back under control I called for my
horsemen to make an escape and give a report of the battle while we made a
distraction. A group of savage orcs flanked them in the dust and I saw several
fine knights fall. I had given up on making a withdrawal and decided that my
salvation would come through the blood of my enemies and my troop stood fast
and met the enemy with passion and valour.
B: This story has come to an interesting conclusion, how
are you here today if your troop made a valiant last stand I hope you will not
presume to tell me that you singlehandedly destroy an entire orc war band.
G: Unfortunately no... I was captured and forced to watch
as the green horde performed unimaginable acts of horror on my men. I saw boar
riders pull my captains apart and orc archers pepper the injured with arrows. I
saw snotlings feed mushrooms to my men, mushrooms that turned them green AND
MADE THEIR GUTS EXPLODE FROM WITHIN....... @##&*&@#&* @#&@#$&* *&@#& .......I'm sorry sir I will
contain my anger
B:...
G: Well the Black orc war boss stood before me and
confirmed our suspicions that they had congregated together in an effort to control
the flying fastness, but he also corrected some of our previous information
showing them to be greatly underestimated.....
It turns out the both Skuzbag and Vogash had been black orcs in
Grimgor's immortals but they had been left behind when a cavern had collapsed
on them. There was quite an argument between the orcs over this, it seems that
Skuzbag thought that it was the rocks who were attacking him and Vorbash
thought it was the dwarves who had sabotaged the tunnel. Oh and Skuzbag's title
is not the slow but rather the... Ahem... Skuzbag RokSmasha Da Destroya O RokFings... heh, and Vorbash is.... Vorbash FaceMuncha Da Fasterer ..., which he explains, is
because he is faster than the flying fastness. I was also privy to information
concerning Bishnak ..... Bishnak Skypuncha Da Circus Masta... it
seems that he is an orc who has taken a fondness to collecting various
different creatures which is shown by the mottled nature of his army, the
Araknorok and the giant are his it seems, though Skuzbag said that they were
going to borrow them a bit.
G: I also collected some information concerning the
captains. Rakrak NoseBittah
leads a group of savage orc boar riders with dual weapons for Vorbash.
It was these orcs who slew my knights. Badzag GutStabba is the captain of Skuzbag's Big Uns all armed with spear
and shields. I believe there to be a special group of fanatics but as the goblins are very
secretive about them I was unable to find out anything more, I also heard some
squigs but they might have just been for food.
B: well this information has been wonderfully precise and I
thank you for offering your life and the lives of your men for the benefit of
the empire, you will be sufficiently rewarded for your trouble and I can
replenish the core of your mercenary troops from my reserves. Once again thank
you for your service.
Here ends the account of the meeting between Landsknecht Gordo
Leichbart before Balthasar Zuchav,
Earl of Lukovitch
Yes, the footnotes worked
Greetings my fellow brother in the
search for true lore,
I
have here compiled a brief understanding of a character of interest for both you
and I. the Character in question is of course Voadkyn the werewolf. I hope the
following information comes to you in good stead with your own research and
creates mirth where there might not have been.
As
always, birth is a good beginning and for Voadkyn this occurred in Moonwood[1]
to a werewolf[2] tribe
of the "People of the Black Blood."[3]
Voadkyn received his name from an elder who had travelled to Cold Wood and met
the local inhabitants - Voadkyns[4]
-tree giants known for their dislike of jovial behaviour and preference for
brooding and silence.
Voadkyn
exhibited the traits of his namesake not willingly joining in the play-fights
of his brothers and often throwing fights organised by the tribes. Wary of the spotlight
he preferred to remain in the shadows. When it was revealed that his lycanthropic
nature was playing second fiddle to the Tuathan[5]
blood in his veins the tribe was all too happy to comply.
Despite
his more passive shape change forms, the tribe did not disown him and welcomed
the fruits of his hunting. Voadkyn had an unnatural endurance and could remain
motionless for days with his longbow ready, waiting for the opportune time to
strike.
He
would have lived out the rest of his days in the same way if not for a
travelling priestess of Malar. While his tribe were devout followers of Malar, they
rarely had contact with a priest or priestess. This lack of contact had let
Voadkyn and his longbow slip through a crack. While they themselves did not use
bows or ranged weapons, the tribe did not condemn Voadkyn for doing so. This
was rectified when the travelling priestess announced that the tribe would
celebrate the High Hunt[6]
and chose Voadkyn to be the mark due to his heretical hunting style."
Taste the blood of those you slay, and never kill from a distance."[7]
Using
a combination of stealth and traps Voadkyn easily escaped the bloodthirsty
werewolves his tribe had become. Knowing that he was therefore exempt from
further High Hunts and the unlikeliness that the priest chose him in the first
place, Voadkyn asked for a prized tribal Carrikal. The carrikal has immense
significance for the tribe as it was made from the jawbone of one of the tribe's
great leaders. Voadkyn then vowed to make his kills as bloody as the jagged
weapon would allow, uphold the tribal law and hold to the teachings of Malar.
However,
it was not long before he could feel the piercing eyes of his fellow
tribe-members and their jealousy that a runt would receive such an esteemed
weapon. A tribal outcast was a bad thing to be in werewolf territory but that was
what Voadkyn found himself becoming. One day whilst hunting a quarry, that
would create respect in the eyes of his tribe and Malar, he went beyond his tribe's
border. Losing his quarry despite a hunt that made Malar proud, Voadkyn's
Tuathan blood cried out to continue. To continue the hunt of prey unknown in
lands unknown. At this turn of events, the night that had always been Voadkyn's
friend began to bear its fangs. As Voadkyn continued he heard the howls of
wolves in the air and saw the shadows move with images of ghostly wolves, the
tribe was hunting him.
Running
from a tribe that he continued to see in the shadows and following the wonder-lust
of his Tuathan blood he ventured towards civilisation. When Voadkyn first
encountered the creatures known as sheep, he was pleasantly surprised that such
a dumb animal existed for his consumption. Unfortunately, simple dogs or
farmers with sticks (not much of a challenge for a werewolf runt who had
mastered his shape-changing and stealth techniques) often guarded the sheep.
The adventurers that soon followed proved to be more difficult. Nevertheless,
the equipment they possessed was an adequate reimbursement. Thus too was
Voadkyn's life until arriving in Moonstair.
In
Moonstair Voadkyn heard the summons to create an adventuring party. The goal
was to investigate strange disappearances in the surrounding forest. While the
mayor was apparently clueless to the contributing forces to Voadkyn's keen
senses there was the smell of undeath. For the Voadkyn's tribe, who revelled in
blood and the thrill of the hunt, the scourge of the undead was an unnecessary
evil that would be best back in the ground. The possible sojourn to the
fey-world solidified the deal; a chance to return to the land of his ancestors
was an unmissable opportunity. However, this sojourn to the undead-tainted
fey-world had an unforeseeable side effect for Voadkyn. The taint on the land
attached itself to Voadkyn making a shadowy character literally shadowy.[8]
Now
this story has not yet reached a conclusion, and using my vast unknowable
powers I have seen into Voadkyn's soul. I have seen his wishes and desires,
what he hopes to attain in the short and long-term, such information that I am
willing to share with you for your reading pleasure. Voadkyn is currently choosing
to continue with this adventuring party confident that he can disappear into
the shadows should things go awry. He is reluctantly optimistic that this
party, this tribe can and will protect its members should or when his past life
catches up to him. Until that time it seems that Voadkyn will continue to train
his stealth techniques, master his bloodthirsty fighting style, all the while
stretching his legs for the inevitable time when again he will be on the run.[9]
P.S. I
have yet to research the particular tribe that Voadkyn was born into or even
the fate of his sires, as I am sure that you would be better able to find
information on such topics. A clarification should be made into the reason why
Voadkyn runs. I for one have not found any evidence that his tribe is actually
hunting him. I am currently entertaining the possibility that his mind is
simply creating these fantasies as result of worshiping his bloodthirsty deity
and the guilt that often accompanies those fellows who seek paths of evil
rather than good.
P.P.S If
any clarification needs to be made please write me and I will be hasty to
respond.
Your friend, the one writing this letter
[1]
http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Moonwood
[2]
Werewolves have the shape-changer sub-type however, as a Tuathan I do not. Can
I? If I did then I should probably also be allergic to silver, or maybe because
I am a runt I did not pick-up that weakness. Another awesome feature of lycans
is that they are bearers of disease, that would be another one of those little
perks that I love adding to my characters :P
[3]
http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/People_of_the_Black_Blood
[4]
http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Voadkyn
[5]
Tuathans are born with fey blood however they are not qualified as fey. Can I
be?
[6]
http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/High_Hunt
[7]
http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Malar
[8]
Haunting shade [multiclass skill] changes my origin to shadow, having written
this footnote last it might be that you can only have one origin, if in the
case this is true then I don't really need to have the fey Origin as well.
Because I can't :P
[9]
Paragon path (Intrepid Scout)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)