To Nurture Nature

<img src = "http://orig08.deviantart.net/dcfa/f/2014/301/6/1/forest_village_by_vablo-d84hfa7.jpg" width = "1280" height = "720" alt=""> Returning from an extensive campaign, you, Cato (elf), one of the most renowned Druids to have graced the Earth and your two human companions, Atreus (Warrior) and Liridon (Hunter), have happened upon a village. [[Continue...]]

The small community is located on the outskirts of an ancient forest that looks as though it has seen better days. As you trek along the road parallel to the vast woodland a sinister feeling pours over you. The trees green branches do not hold the same vibrance that healthy trees share, the leaves are withered and faded and life does not seem [[to flow in the forest... | Edge of Woods]]

The bear is choking on the green corrupted fog that blankets the forest. [[Search for water! | Find water]] [[To the village! | Hurry with the cub to the village for water.]]

There is no water source around! [[ Get to the village! | Hurry with the cub to the village for water.]]

The three of you set off towards the [[village]] at speed.

As you traverse the edge of the woods a bear cub stumbles out from under the brush and across the path of the group coughing and spluttering. Liridon runs to the bear as Atreus removes his cloak to wrap the cub in so as not to receive scratches from it’s tiny claws. Being a druid, you are highly attuned to nature and possesses the ability to communicate with animals. You immediately sense that the bear is in desperate need of water but, being low on even the simplest necessities, [[the group does not have any. | Bear]]

Upon reaching the village, water is acquired and the bear cub is handed over to a farmer to help it get it’s strength back. Meanwhile your group are met by the [[people]] in the village who beg for your assistance in discovering what has happened to their once lively forest.

There is a striking green shroud that engulfs the woods, a sort of low fog on the forest floor. [[Enter the forest...]]

You are low on supplies and could do with time to recuperate after the copious amount of battles you have endured. Having consulted with the humans, your party agrees to make your [[way towards the village. | Forest]]

They are gaunt, tired and malnourished. The forest was the source of their livelihood, their food source (fruit, seeds, crops, wildlife, hunting) and their firewood source. It kept the village alive. The forest was a lifeline for the village and it’s [[inhabitants.]]

"Please, you must help us!" "We need your help!" "We beg you!" "The entire town will be dead within months if this continues!" "This has gone on too long, please, please help..." You see a [[figure]] moving through the crowd.

Mayor: "The forest has not flourished for many months. The Keeper of the Forest, a druid by the name of Ferox lives within the forest and has protected it from outsiders. He would often visit us and offer advice or wisdom on any issues that would arise from year to year or settle disagreements between villagers. We would be eternally grateful if you would lend your services to us and remedy the sickness that has enveloped my people." [[Cato, Atreus and Liridon consult with eachother.]]

The group of villagers splits down the middle as the Mayor of the town greets the group. "Good Sirs, your arrival is a blessing on us." [[Cato: "What has happened here? Why is this village and it's people in such disrepair?"]]

The Mayor moves towards the group as they whisper between one another. Mayor: "If I may intrude, I suspect something awful might have happened to Ferox but the townsfolk believe that he has forsaken them and abandoned his protectorate position. They are losing hope and I am becoming exceedingly worried. Everyone who is sent to check if Ferox is okay never returns and I cannot risk anyone else. You must help us." Atreus steps in between you, Liridon and the Mayor. [[Atreus: "I will lend my sword to this cause."]]

You and Liridon advance forth and stand by Atreus' side. You both know that Atreus has always thirsted for glory, blood and battle. He welcomes any opportunity for adventure. "We have spent many years fighting by one another's side. That will not change now. We will offer our services to you." The Mayor bows his head, there are [[tears in his eyes...]]

Mayor "Thank you." You feel terribly strongly and upset at the state the flora and fauna have fallen into and vow to right this wrong that has affected the forest and it's local people. [[Set off on your way to the forest.]]

As the three of you venture through the growth the forest becomes worse and worse; there are trees decaying, leaves and flowers being strangled by the fog, water sources are polluted and filled with mold across the surface, no plants bear any fruit and the few animals that you come across are rabid, aggressive and many had rotting skin hanging from their limbs... [[Examine corpse in your path...]]

"Liridon: "I have hunted beasts my whole life, even as a child, I know this to be the claw marks of a bear. The size of the bite indicates a wide jaw and subsequently a bear of significant size... We should take care as we move through here." Progress through the forest [[following the overgrown pathway]] laid out in front of you.

Cato: "The forest is too still, there is little life, I fear something dreadful has occured [[here]]..."

An [[opening]] in the forest allows light to shine in on your grim and gloomy surroundings...

Marching onward to the light, the sun shafts split and your eyes squint in response to the sudden luminous sun creating a halo effect around the upper branches of a colossal [[tree]].

The fog is not present around the base of the tree. Behind you, branches break and [[snap]]...

...suddenly an enormous bear slams down behind the group and swipes a gigantic paw with claws outstretched attempting to strike them down! [[Maneuver yourself out of the way.]] [[Draw your stave and try to block the bear.]]

You roll out of the way and form a well organized defensive line together with Atreus and Liridon who have both assumed a battle stance with weapons at the ready. Years of fighting has resulted in perfect coordination when it comes to [[encounters]].

Your stave snaps and you rush to the left to [[avoid being hit->Maneuver yourself out of the way.]]...

Atreus strides forward and swings his sword at the bear, missing ever so slightly. Meanwhile Liridon has moved behind the group and is pulling back the string on his bow... He has one of his double blade tipped arrows at the ready and [[fires it]] at the bear as it stands on it's hind legs and blocks out what seems like all the light from the Earth...

The arrow hurls toward the beast and slices through it's shoulder causing a river of blood to flow from the wound and turn the forest's canvas incarnadine... The bear stamps down on the leaves below him. He roars and the woods [[tremble around you]].

The bear crumbles to the forest floor and begins to shake uncontrollably. Groans fill the opening and the bear unexpectedly starts to morph and transforms into an elf. [[Rush to the elf and threaten him with your stave.]] [[Demand the elf to identify himself.]]

Elf: "Please, NO! I mistook you for poachers, I did not mean you any harm. Please, I implore you to lower your weapons." [[Demand the elf to identify himself. | Apology]]

Cato: "IDENTIFY YOURSELF OR THE NEXT ARROW WILL PIERCE YOUR HEART!" The elf covers his wound with his hand and stops some of the bleeding. He looks up at the three of you, sadness and confusion in his eyes. Ferox: "Forgive me, I... I thought you were poachers. I was trying to ward you off. My name is Ferox, I am Keeper of the Forest." Ferox inhales sharply as blood that has amassed behind his hand is let flow free. He picks himself up off the ground and stands tall in front of you. [[He addresses you. | Apology]]

Ferox: "...and it has been years since I have left this dwelling." You pick up on the way he voiced that last sentence. Why has he remained here for such a length of time? When you were under the guidance of the Elder Druid, an age ago, it was explained to you that those who take up the role of protectorate must give up that position once a suitable replacement has been found... But you never fully understood the rules and circumstances of this tradition. [[Follow Ferox to the tree.]]

Arriving into the innards of the great tree Ferox directs you all to a room that resembles that of a scholars study. The Druid asks to be excused so that he can tend to his wound and briefly exits the room... [[Sit and wait for Ferox to return.]] [[Root around the rooms many stacks of books and boxes with compartments.]]

Ferox: "Let me offer an apology, I did not know you were not enemies. Please, follow me to my abode and talk with me. It has been countless months since I last conversed with another... Ferox does not look at your group as he speaks, instead he looks off into the distance with [[glazed eyes]].

Liridon with his keen hunter eye spots an ancient withered book that has recently had the dust wiped off it's cover... He snatches it, opens it and spreads it across a large [[desk]] that is centered in the room. The three of you crowd around it.

You pace the room whilst scanning for anything that stands out. Piles and piles of books and parchment line the walls. Your eyes focus on a shelf where the dust seems to have been disturbed... There is a gap between the books. Below the shelf is a small wooden stand with an ancient withered looking book resting on the edge of it... The book that previously filled the gap? You grasp the spine of the book and lift it over to the [[desk]] in the centre of the room, opening it out.

A bookmark is revealed within the pages and there is a passage about a ritual and an ancient rite of passing the life of the forest down through generations of Druids who were Keepers of the Forest. Exactly what you had remembered learning about. You recall earlier when Ferox dropped [[hints]] on the length of his term as Keeper and comment on it to Atreus and Liridon.

It dawns on you. Ferox has been protector for far too long and is going corrupt and becoming rotten to the core. He has now gone so far that he cannot let go of his position. He did not find an heir to take his place in time for his term to conclude and he is now stuck suffering because of it... And so the forest does too. The passage states that when a Druid becomes Keeper, his wellbeing mirrors the forest and vice versa. They are bound together as one until the time comes that an apprentice is sought and assumes role as new Keeper. [[A door creaks open behind you.]]

Ferox returns from tending to his wound. He notices the book open on the desk behind the three of you and scowls. [[Fight Ferox and end his term for him.]] [[Confront and discuss what you have learned with him.]]

Cato: "I too have been taught the ways of the Keeper tradition. You have outstayed your term for far too long. I cannot let this continue, the destruction to nature and the damage done to those who rely on it is a disgrace to Druids and our [[honor]]."

Cato: "I too have been taught the ways of the Keeper tradition. You have outstayed your term for too long. I cannot let this continue, the destruction to nature and the damage done to those who rely on it is a disgrace to Druids and our honor." Ferox lowers his head. Ferox: "I understand this. It was not my choice. I lost track of time. I could not find a suitable replacement, I did not want to forest to be left to someone not qualified to protect it so I decided to keep my position as [[Keeper]]."

Cato: "That may have been the case, but because of your inability to allow a fellow Druid, be it an inexperienced one or not, to take over as Keeper you have now let the forest fall into a state far worse than it would have under a less knowledgable [[successor... | Fight]]"

Ferox: "Honor? HONOR? You know nothing about what I have had to endure by remaining as Keeper. Don't you dare try to criticize me, I did what I could to protect this forest to the detriment of my soul." [[He charges forward. | Fight]]

Ferox is not tolerating any of this and orders them to leave at once. Ferox: "How dare you take a moral high ground on me, you know NOTHING!" Cato: "You will die by our hands if you do not let us help you. We are not going to standby and allow the forest and the people to endure this suffering any longer." Ferox cannot control himself and his anger becomes so fierce that he once again transforms into a ferocious bear, this time he is more enraged and much stronger. He crashes around the room and rips into everything [[in his way...]]

Liridon, straps his bow to his back and unsheathes his dagger. Atreus strides into the range of Ferox and unlike before, the rage fueling the bear has given him extra strength, he knocks Atreus across the room and he crashes into a bookshelf sending parchment and books alike into the air. [[Run to Atreus.]]

You run to Atreus and drag him out of range of the rampaging bear but you cannot get away, he chases you down and towers above you with claws out. [[Grab Atreus' sword.]] [[Attempt to use a half of your snapped stave to counter the bears incessant attacks.]]

You clutch the hilt up the sword, it's heavy and you cannot bring it up in time to slice the bear. All of a sudden the figure of Liridon bounds onto the [[bears back...]]

You clutch the half stave, it's badly broken, it won't withstand a swipe from the bear and you know it. All of a sudden, the figure of Liridon bounds onto the [[bears back...]]

Grasping onto the bear using tufts of it's thick hair he raises his dagger and neatly drags it across the bears neck, skills acquired over a lifetime as an adept hunter means he knows the location of important arteries, and this time his accuracy level is exhibited exquisitely. The bear ceases it's attack, life begins to drain from it's eyes and it slumps to the floor with an almighty THUMP... It transforms yet again into the form of Ferox. He reaches out to you. [[Kneel beside the dying Druid.]] [[Finish him off.]]

The druid is deeply upset and embarrassed. He apologizes as a tear rolls down the side of his bruised face. Being a fellow Druid and knowing the long life span you share with Ferox and the very rare occurance of a Druids death, you reassure him that all is forgiven and everything from here on in will be alright. Ferox passes away and he is buried with the past Keepers of the Forest who are laid out in a circle around the base of the tree. As he is buried, a fresh new branch grows on the enormous tree. One branch for each Druid that has lived as protector of the forest since the beginning of time. The book from inside the tree stated that there MUST always be a Keeper of the Forest at all times. Atreus raises the question about who will take over as new Keeper, seeing as the passage says there must [[always be one.]]

You instruct Liridon to put Ferox out of his misery and he thrusts the blade into his chest piercing his heart. Being a fellow Druid and knowing the long life span you share with Ferox and the very rare occurance of a Druids death, you bury Ferox with the past Keepers of the Forest who are laid out in a circle around the base of the tree. As he is buried, a fresh new branch grows on the enormous tree. One branch for each Druid that has lived as protector of the forest since the beginning of time. The book from inside the tree stated that there MUST always be a Keeper of the Forest at all times. Atreus raises the question about who will take over as new Keeper, seeing as the passage says there must [[always be one.]]

You are faced with a life altering decision. Only a Druid may become Keeper of the Forest. Will you sacrifice yourself as the new Keeper or will you forsake the people of the village and carry on with your trio who have spent so many long years together? Atreus and Liridon look to you to make your decision. [[Do not take over role as Protectorate. Continue on your adventures with your companions and leave the village to work something out for itself.]] [[Step up as new Keeper of the Forest, leaving your companions to continue on their travels without you and bring the forest and the people back to life.]]

You decide that you do not want to become protectorate and live within the forest for years upon years. You crave the mighty feats of adventurers and leave the forest with Atreus and Liridon setting out for the horizon... Hoping it brings great glory.

You choose to leave the trio, Atreus and Liridon are extremely understanding of your reasons and you stay within the forest. The surrounding area instantly blooms as you bind yourself with the world tree in a ritual laid out within the book. The corrupted fog lifts, the forest moves and comes to life, it breathes, crops and flowers flourish, animals heal and become healthy again, water is fresh, crystal clear and pure. The forest is once again ALIVE. The townspeople have their livelihood back and the town is saved. You have found your reason for being.