Ziona
First Post
This thread is the continuation of The Unusual Heroes story hour, originally posted by Xaltar. Recently, WeeJas has taken over the helm of DM, letting Xaltar become a player in Forgotten Realms. Xaltar is still finishing his thread, however, so be sure to check it out to see how it leads up to this new thread. This first post is a journal entry, but the next part of the story will be posted in 3rd person. --Ziona
Six-day of Kythorn
The many changes in my young life have prompted me to begin keeping this journal. My companions and I have recently arrived back in Cormyr after defeating a band of trolls in The Storm Horn Mountains. It was upon our return that the mage Noristuor appeared magically to us with disturbing news.
Noristuor advised me to gather the party quickly, for there was trouble back in Ashabenford involving my parents. I felt instantly sickened by his worried tone, but rushed to do as I was told. Rossal helped me inform the party that there was trouble, and before long, Noristuor has us whisked back to Ashabenford using a teleport spell.
Once at Noristuor's home, he began to explain the dire situation surrounding my parents. Horrified by the news, I said a silent prayer to The Dark Maiden to keep my parents safe. Our party, with Noristuor's wisdom, devised a plan. This plan involved a splitting of our party members, which was a great disappointment to me. We have worked well together through many battles, but I realized what we were doing was right.
It was decided that Drexel and Spiderfang accompany my Mother to Thay, and that the remaining group serve as a rescue team for my Father.
Never have I felt ashamed of my heritage. Eilistraee has taught me always to promote harmony between the races. Being half-drow has never been easy, but I have never felt such contempt or anger towards a race as I felt when Noristuor explained the danger that the Drow have placed my parents, (and now my companions) in.
Noristuor explained that my Mother had had a sort of curse placed upon her by the Drow. The only remedy is an antidote found in Thay. Without this antidote, my Mother will become a wretched Drider! I remember the stories my Father told me of the wicked Driders. They are an abomination, an evil punishment for those who anger the Drow patron, Lloth. I know this is not a fate my dear Mother deserves, nor any creature deserves. I also know that my Mother is in good hands with Drexel and Spiderfang. They are strong and wise and will see that my Mother gets to Thay in time before her condition worsens.
My Father is in great danger as well, and there is no antidote for his situation. Even as I write these words I fear what evil his Drow captors may be unleashing upon him in the Underdark. I cannot understand how they discovered he was still alive. I have begun to wonder if I have drawn negative attention to my parents with stories of a Half-Drow cleric traveling with an adventuring party circulating about.
Noristuor has also recruited two adventurers to accompany us into the Underdark. One is a very handsome human sorcerer named Solstar. He seems capable, if not overly confident. The other is a ranger named Aarack. He has a great hatred for Drow, and has already passed judgment on me, and no doubt my parents. I have tried to explain to him about my family, but he gives me a disgusted look each time I speak.
What he does not understand is that nearly twenty years ago my Father, Zellian, was supposed to partake in a surface raid. A tenday before the raid, he left his raiding party and fled to the surface to warn the people of Ashabenford. His Drow companions knew of his intentions, however, and viciously attacked him just outside Ashabenford. Being mortally wounded, they tied him to a tree and left him to die as the sun began to rise.
Fortunately for my Father, the Drow unknowingly left him a short way from a farmhouse. Megara, the woman who lived on the farm, found my Father tied to the tree, nearly dead. She bound his wounds and dragged him to her farm, for there was quite a bounty to be had for bringing a living Drow to justice. However, as the days passed and Zellian revived, Megara began to learn the truth. She informed the town of the coming raid, and although my Father had come to save them, they wanted him dead. My Mother refused to see such an action taken on someone who had risked their life to save them all. As a result, she was ostracized by the town for harboring a Drow, even though together she and Zellian had prepared the town and thwarted the raid.
An odd coupling, my parents were never officially married. Their love was as true a love as any however, and they welcomed their only child into the world during The Time of Flowers.
Here it is, nearly my nineteenth year and I am fearing for the safety of my parents instead of celebrating with them. The Time of Flowers and my day of birth will mean nothing in the Underdark. The only celebration I welcome will be reuniting with my family in the safety of our home on the surface. I pray that Eilistraee keep my parents and companions safe on our journeys until that day arrives.
-Ziona
MORE TO COME...
Six-day of Kythorn
The many changes in my young life have prompted me to begin keeping this journal. My companions and I have recently arrived back in Cormyr after defeating a band of trolls in The Storm Horn Mountains. It was upon our return that the mage Noristuor appeared magically to us with disturbing news.
Noristuor advised me to gather the party quickly, for there was trouble back in Ashabenford involving my parents. I felt instantly sickened by his worried tone, but rushed to do as I was told. Rossal helped me inform the party that there was trouble, and before long, Noristuor has us whisked back to Ashabenford using a teleport spell.
Once at Noristuor's home, he began to explain the dire situation surrounding my parents. Horrified by the news, I said a silent prayer to The Dark Maiden to keep my parents safe. Our party, with Noristuor's wisdom, devised a plan. This plan involved a splitting of our party members, which was a great disappointment to me. We have worked well together through many battles, but I realized what we were doing was right.
It was decided that Drexel and Spiderfang accompany my Mother to Thay, and that the remaining group serve as a rescue team for my Father.
Never have I felt ashamed of my heritage. Eilistraee has taught me always to promote harmony between the races. Being half-drow has never been easy, but I have never felt such contempt or anger towards a race as I felt when Noristuor explained the danger that the Drow have placed my parents, (and now my companions) in.
Noristuor explained that my Mother had had a sort of curse placed upon her by the Drow. The only remedy is an antidote found in Thay. Without this antidote, my Mother will become a wretched Drider! I remember the stories my Father told me of the wicked Driders. They are an abomination, an evil punishment for those who anger the Drow patron, Lloth. I know this is not a fate my dear Mother deserves, nor any creature deserves. I also know that my Mother is in good hands with Drexel and Spiderfang. They are strong and wise and will see that my Mother gets to Thay in time before her condition worsens.
My Father is in great danger as well, and there is no antidote for his situation. Even as I write these words I fear what evil his Drow captors may be unleashing upon him in the Underdark. I cannot understand how they discovered he was still alive. I have begun to wonder if I have drawn negative attention to my parents with stories of a Half-Drow cleric traveling with an adventuring party circulating about.
Noristuor has also recruited two adventurers to accompany us into the Underdark. One is a very handsome human sorcerer named Solstar. He seems capable, if not overly confident. The other is a ranger named Aarack. He has a great hatred for Drow, and has already passed judgment on me, and no doubt my parents. I have tried to explain to him about my family, but he gives me a disgusted look each time I speak.
What he does not understand is that nearly twenty years ago my Father, Zellian, was supposed to partake in a surface raid. A tenday before the raid, he left his raiding party and fled to the surface to warn the people of Ashabenford. His Drow companions knew of his intentions, however, and viciously attacked him just outside Ashabenford. Being mortally wounded, they tied him to a tree and left him to die as the sun began to rise.
Fortunately for my Father, the Drow unknowingly left him a short way from a farmhouse. Megara, the woman who lived on the farm, found my Father tied to the tree, nearly dead. She bound his wounds and dragged him to her farm, for there was quite a bounty to be had for bringing a living Drow to justice. However, as the days passed and Zellian revived, Megara began to learn the truth. She informed the town of the coming raid, and although my Father had come to save them, they wanted him dead. My Mother refused to see such an action taken on someone who had risked their life to save them all. As a result, she was ostracized by the town for harboring a Drow, even though together she and Zellian had prepared the town and thwarted the raid.
An odd coupling, my parents were never officially married. Their love was as true a love as any however, and they welcomed their only child into the world during The Time of Flowers.
Here it is, nearly my nineteenth year and I am fearing for the safety of my parents instead of celebrating with them. The Time of Flowers and my day of birth will mean nothing in the Underdark. The only celebration I welcome will be reuniting with my family in the safety of our home on the surface. I pray that Eilistraee keep my parents and companions safe on our journeys until that day arrives.
-Ziona
MORE TO COME...
