We set up camp for the night. The thick underbrush that spreads through these woods carries a familiar smell, one that takes me back to my younger years. Jared catches me lost in thought but, before he can utter a word, Kratos’ head turns to face me. With no words, no sounds, he let’s me know he remembers as well.
A moment passes, and Jared recognizes we are sharing something. He asks, “so are you going to share, or am I supposed to learn some unspoken language?”
I shift my gaze towards him with a smirk, “or you could shift and we could just have ourselves one big canine party.” We both chuckle at the sarcasm but, again my thoughts chase a distant memory. Lost in thought, I just start going on about one of the most challenging days in my younger years. Jared just sits there with his wineskin, and Kratos lying beside me.
“Kratos was about half his size. I was much younger and less experienced. Ehlonna showed me the everlasting bond of predator and prey, and the importance of the two. I adapted quickly, understanding what was expected to happen if I took the shape of either.”
“I always felt a deep connection with my fellow canines”, as I pet Kratos, “which would then evolve into a deeper connection with that of my ursine family.” Jared by now has seen that my most common form in battle is that of the bear.
“In this story however, I was in the form of a wolf, like Kratos but, much larger. I was becoming familiar with this new area Ehlonna had led me to. It was uncertain what my business there was. To this day I wonder if I ever completed what was needed of me there at that time.”
Jared looks at me with a mildly puzzled, yet still intrigued, face. “Why? What happened?”, he said.
I look into our low flame campfire, then gaze straight into his eyes with a smirk that I’m sure is surprising and say, “I was being hunted.”
I could see passed Jared’s blank expression that those words were less of a jest, and more of a reminder. However I continued with my story. “I sensed something for a brief moment. Not a sight, not a sound, nor smell. It’s that all too familiar sense, you know, when a spell is cast on you.”
“Like when you cast that spell on me… damn what’s the name?”
“Cat’s grace.” I respond and agreed. “Exactly like that, except this didn’t feel as beneficial to me. I felt… marked. As soon as I showed pause, the first arrow pierced straight into my thigh.” Eyebrows raised I say, “That shit hurt… No time to look I darted off, deeper into the thickness of woods as fast as I could. You know how it is when your adrenaline kicks in.”
I proceeded to tell the story of a man, a human; a hunter, who, like me, embraced nature and made it his home. He had an advantage on me, for this was his territory. No matter what forms I chose to aid me in my escape, he always had a lock on me. It wasn’t until for a brief moment, where the thick brush of trees above me parted, that I saw why this hunter was impossible to dodge.
I couldn’t believe it. This hunter had an animal companion. I quickly thought of Ehlonna in my ignorance. How could she do this? I thought she was the one and only goddess of the Woodlands and life. Oh how I was wrong. Not only was she not the only deity of that domain but, she had come together in partnership with the other to make this happen. Obad-hai and Ehlonna joined forces to lead us, the hunter and myself, to this point to challenge one another and to meet. For the future would hold so much for us as partners of a much larger cause.
The chase continued for a while before I actually got a chance to retaliate. I found the perfect opportunity to transport through a suitable sized plant to exit and reappear behind my so called predator. However my attempts were scant compared to his defensive tactics. That is until I gave in and finally trusted myself, and my surroundings. Once you’re free from ambivalence your soul does marvelous things. The roots from beneath this adept hunter, strive to grasp and grip but, fail to his evasive skills. Spells fly, blades are drawn, and the battle ensues as the both of us try to trump one another. The battle comes to a halt as we both hear voices familiar to us, echoing in our minds telling us to stop. Frazzled and weary, we glare into each others souls. A level of respect was mutually earned that day. Not just between each other but, between our patron deities.
I’ve never repressed that feeling of fear, being hunted. It humbles and reminds me of my place in the world. Of the power and responsibility I wield. Even in my old age now, having met and come across numerous warriors, I will never forget Tyrion; servant of Obad-hai, guardian of nature and all who inhabit it.
With Kratos curled up acting as a bedroll to a snoring Jared, I bring my gaze from the dimming campfire to the dark lush woods. With a smirk and a chuckle, I join my two companions, and trust in Her to protect us while we rest.
Hey everyone, welcome to our first installment of “Subclass Special”. In contrast to what we do for Monster Mayhem posts, we will focus on more of a narrative for the ongoing adventures of Normac and Silverkin, instead of being “informative” as a bestiary would be. We are well aware that a basic Wizard player character won’t be able to summon monster’s of that magnitude, but we wanted to add some more flavor and excitement to the narrative. We hope you enjoy it.
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– Pat
Normac & Silverkin 