Varjo Tapaava (The Deadly Shadow)

Varjo Tapaava (deadly shadow)

Varjo Tapaava

Varjo was raised by loving, though stupidly liberal parents. They never told him “no,” so he was very accustomed to getting what he wanted. He was impetuous and selfish, and very much spoiled. He was always very quick, agile, and clever, so he never learned the value of hard work, as he always had a natural leg up on his peers.

Being a spoiled, gnomic child, he was never satisfied. After several roes with his parents, he thought he could do better for himself on his own and struck out. 

He repeatedly failed to find an honest means to provide for himself, and had no luck making any friends. His attitude quickly drove away anyone who gave him a chance. He returned home to his parents only to be met with indifference and scorn. Feeling unwanted everywhere, he returned to the slums, bars, and brothels. Low on cash, he was not welcome in the Inns or taverns; he was forced to become a dweller of the streets.

He picked pockets for money, and stole meager portions to stay alive. One day he was noticed by a leading half-orc of the thieves’ guild. The half-orc took him in and trained him. Varjo quickly realized that he had quite a penchant for picking both locks and pockets. His lithe fingers allowed him quick, deft movement that could easily go unnoticed. He was trained by the rogues, but always desired more than the mere subsistence he was relegated to as the low man on the totem pole.

One day he robbed an old potion lady’s shop but got poisoned by what he took. It fascinated him, as he was so affected by it. The possibility of such great power became an obsession he could not shake. The guild tried to discourage him from dallying in poisons, but he felt it was because they were not as intelligent as he. That became the spark that began his drive to ascend beyond the likes of his fellow-thieves and seek out mastery of this art.

While he was learning his craft of poisons and fatal attacks, the guild became unstable. The leader of the guild (Skupina Voditelj) was away scouting a large take, and that is when Los ZmijaDah, a particularly greedy human rogue, decided to attempt his coup. He had been rallying followers for some time, but his ego was far larger than his actual support. Rather than rising to power and “dismissing” any dissenters, he split the guild and started a small war within.

His rival Kamien Kulak was the guild-leader’s right-hand-man (or half-orc). He saw that ZmijaDah was intent on being a tyrant, and Kulak had loyalty to the order of Skupina. He defended the guild against the uprising, but his severe lack of charisma and leadership made his efforts to unify the guild against the rebellion almost entirely counter-productive. The battle was far from glorious. Some died, many fled, and the guild was shattered forever. As the battle drew to a close, ZmijaDah and his two best guards began to slaughter the wounded survivors, one of whom was Varjo. As Los ZmijaDah approached Varjo, Kamien flew through the air and tackled Los. As they wrestled along the ground Kamien yelled to Varjo, “Run! Do what you must to survive!” And Varjo did. Those last words would echo in his mind for years. They would form the motto of his life. The basis upon which he made every decision. He would never forget that day. The day that Kamien gave his life for him. Every day that he lived would honor the sacrifice that his mentor had made.

Piknik the Bold

Piknik the Bold

Dearest Flungdo,

Thank you so much for allowing me to write you a letter. My name is
PIKNIK THE BOOOOOOOOOLD. (Of the julgeshire bolds) In various lands I
am know by my palatial and titles: Sorcerer of Stinky swamps, lord of
the little village of iforgot, duke of the dung plie (the one out back
behind the rolling field in) High magician of the order of unlikly,
and Gary.

I think it does not break humbility if I say that I am the most
powerful wizard in Guglspit, which as everyone knows is three times
the size of Bliggerblat, and far more notable than the bladdylands of
glumperwik. Many a times have I struck fear into the heart of an evil
doing flabit. Whats that? You don't know what a flabit is you say? A
flabit is a feirce toothybeast twice the size of a blundercow which as
all people know is terifyingly large not to meantion tender and
delicious when cooked with capers and a little salt and a tasty side
of carrots, but not radishes. NEVER TRUST THE RADDISHES. (They're
always listening) ..... addhthisohishouteheour... this is me writing
in code so the raddishes cant hear us, (or leeks, theyre just as bad
as the radishes, if not a bit more aromatic- though quite tasty when
properly blanched) Should you avoid sudden death by raddish I suggest
a spinach patte of blundercow covered in a slightly juiced eel, which
as every one knows is only availble in plontyport, where the Wizard of
Whatzisname lived. I'm fairly sure he's my cousin, or my dentist. One
of those.

Either way he's by far the best wizard in the northern regions, not
counting the imaginary sorcerer of scarry (Who is of course
disqualified from such measurements on account of being imaginary), or
Pikinik the bold, who is a facinatingly notable wizard of the jugshire
bolds who is by far the most powerful wizard in Guglspit. Glugspit
being of course half the size of Blunderphalt, as everyone knows so
one hardly needs to say it, unless someone didn't know it. Did you
know the size of blunderphlat? Well now you do. (Six fladderbliks...
don't forget)

You being of a most rotund intelegence, Glunbo, will know of course
that it is rare indeed to find a supreem sorcerer who can bend the
universe to his will and properly knows how to season blundercow with
radishes (evil creatures) and capers, which of course is the
qualification to pass the unpassable test of unpasableness to obtain
the supreem sorcerers handbook (Copyright Piknik the bold 1455) As the
only qualified sorcerer to do so I gladly give you my signature for
you to share with my adoring fans. (Here picknic has smashed the body
of a beatle where his signature would be).

Sincerely yours

SorcererofStinkyswampslordofthelittlevillageofiforgotdukeofthedungplie(the
one out back behind the rolling field
in)Highmagicianoftheorderofunlikly, and.... Gary

Gabriel Angeli Meneldor

Gabriel Angeli Meneldor

My name is Gabriel Angeli Meneldor, and I am a half-elf with more influence from my human father. I was born in Avalon 47 years ago. I was abandoned by my parents at birth, but I was taken in by the Temple of Ӓester, where I was raised and educated in the ways of the goddess. It was then that I decided to begin my training as a paladin at the age of 12, which I finished at the age of 21. I spent many years traveling and eradicating evil in the name of Ӓester. I have found special favor from the goddess due to my faithfulness to her in my meditation. I continue to serve her faithfully as I seek to further her cause and find my parents.

Kala Rā'akē: Reflections of a Wolfman

 Kala Rā'akē

Many are the days that I have spent pondering the questions that have plagued my mind.  Where did I come from?  Why have I ever only known solitude?  I remember little of my youth.  Are they suppressed memories?  What could cause a man to forget memories that bury themselves deep in many a man's heart?

To say that I have only been alone would not be entirely true.  At one of the lowest points in my life, a brief encounter would change everything.  At a time when I wandered the deep, woodland areas of Gray Realm, I encountered a man, whose name was Glāsava.  He was unlike many men that I had known, in that he showed true friendship to me. This was very foreign in my life, for tales of the Big, Bad Wolf had made many men come to shun and excommunicate anyone or anything that was even remotely wolf-like.  This man showed no such prejudice toward me.  He was a solitary figure, the same as I, and lived deep in the woods, far from civilization. He displayed wisdom and knowledge far beyond his years and wished to share it with me.  I was all too eager to learn everything that I could from this man, a master wizard, the likes of which I had never known.  I was beginning to feel a real sense of purpose in my life.  Things were finally taking a turn for the better in my life...or so it would seem.

One evening, as we were finishing up a fine meal, I began to have this strange feeling that we were being watched.  I had no reason to believe this was so, but alas, I could not shake this feeling.  I was on the verge of revealing this uneasiness that I felt to my friend, when I felt darkness overtake me.  Had I been struck from behind or was this some sort of magic that had overtaken me?  I knew not.  It seemed like an eternity that I was in this state, but when I came to, all that I could find of my dear friend was a tattered, bloody leather tunic.

Who had ripped the only good thing out of my otherwise meaningless life?  I made it my quest to find the man or creature responsible for this atrocity.  Armed with his staff and his book of spells, I set out to find this perpetrator.  Despite my best efforts, I found nothing.  I have spent countless days, since that day, seeking to bring justice and good to the world.  I have finally found my purpose within this life.

I don't know why, but I keep getting the burning sensation that eyes are watching me, lurking in the shadows?  I have such vivid nightmares that haunt my sleep.  Hopefully the answers will come with time.  

- Kala Rā'akē