Jump to content


Photo

Adrian Shadows of Amn 46


  • Please log in to reply
10 replies to this topic

#1 Arcalian

Posted 27 July 2003 - 02:19 AM

So what is it between you and Faldorn anyway?" Adrian asked Tree the next morning.

"Yes, this is a female rivalry I look forward to seeing," Viconia agreed, her eyes glittering.

Tree sighed, and a little of the intensity went out of her eyes, for the moment. "Linden March is the Forgotten God. Almost none remember him. The Oak Father knows...but that is another story.

In any event, the Shadow Druids approached me when I first came to the Sword coast. I was polite but declined them. They didn't understand; they were angry.

Faldorn's mother was the leader of the local sect at the time. She challenged me to a duel. I won, easily, too easily. It was not a duel to the death; but their pride was stung. Faldorn's mother understood that she had lost, but her followers did not. They were angry.

But none angrier than Faldorn. She was still a child; only nine years old. She knew, even in her anger that, she couldn't best me, but she attacked me anyway. I failed to take her seriously. It was the worst mistake I ever made in my life.

Faldorn knew she couldn't beat me honestly. So she had taken a vial of acid and threw it in my eyes. I was blinded. The other Shadow Druids pumelled me, kicked me, beat me. They would've killed me. But Faldorn's mother intervened, and allowed me to flee. Blind and beaten, I stumbled into the night.

I found out later that all of the Shadow Druids felt that Faldorn's mother had shown weakness; they wanted her to step down as leader of their sect. But that was not enough for Faldorn. She...killed her mother."

Tree closed her eyes for a moment and them resumed. "I healed slowly, with my..special abilties, in the forrest. A few years later, I met her again. She was astonished not only by my perfect healing, but also by the fact that I had not visibly aged.

She saw me as worse than what she saw as the weak, normal druids. Even more of a danger to the Shadow Druids 'true' vision of nature's triumph. She fled from me and tried to arrange an ambush, which I fought through, killing several of her followers. That was shortly before you met her. I suspect the ruling Shadow Archdruids sent her against the Iron Throne in teh Cloakwood to prove herself.

I met her again shortly after you defeated Sarevok in Baldur's Gate. We passed eachother by without confrontation. And that was my second greatest mistake.

A mistake I will remedy now."

There was dead silence behind her as she turned and walked into the Druid Sanctum. It was a moment before any of the others followed her.

---------

"So, it is you," said Faldorn. In Adrian's estimation, she had gone even further around the bend. her leather armor was cracked and ripped, she was even dirtier than before, and her eyes glittered with madness.

"I told you to watch yourself, Bhaalspawn. A pity you did not listen. And you have made alliance with this...nothing."

"Into mud baths?" Jan asked brightly. "My aunt Grelda was into them, until she fell asleep in one. A shame really, she made the best turnip stew in the family. Eccentricity is a fine thing, but there's a limit, even for the Jansens."

"That is an incredible relief to hear," Edwin said. "I was beginning to think you were completely insane."

"Edwin," said Adrian wearily. "I appreciate the sentiment, but Jan has shown that he understands the best use for that acid tounge of his. Don't bait him."

Faldorn ignored all of this, merely staring at Tree.

"I challenge you by the rights and rituals of the Druid Grove," Tree pronounced evenly and clearly.

"Challenge by all means, I accept gladly. But you will lose. Mother nature feeds me, that I might fight for her."

"She does not feed you, you feed on her against her will, You are a parasite, not any kind of servant of the blaance," said Cernd.

"You are nothing. This one will make me sweat before she dies. You will not accomplish even that much."

By way of answer, Cernd shifted to werewolf again.

"We all have our gifts," Tree answered. "Yours will not be enough to save you."

Faldorn merely cackled in response.

---------

The challenge circle was a pit dug into the ground, lined with ritual stones. Both women put aside all equipment save their leather armor and simple wooden staves.

They began slowly circling, dueling with their staves. Occasionally one or the other would get a hit in, but none of the strikes was serious. Of course, Faldorn was drawing from the grove itself to heal any wound, and both of them knew it. This, of course, freed up Tree to use her own abilities.

Utilizing her unatural agility, Tree ran to the side of the pit, jumped, and her feet bounced off the side of the pit, and she flipped over, striking Faldorn in the belly with both feet, hard. Faldorn rebounded off the pit wall and collapsed.

Tree knew it wouldn't be that easy, of course. She advanced slowly, and was able to dodge aside when Faldorn uncoiled and lunged at her like a striking snake. Faldorn rolled and came up to her knees, spinning her staff and knocking Tree down. She raised her staff for the killing blow, but Tree kicked her in the solar plexus and followed that up with a stave strike to the chin.

Shaken but nowhere near done, Faldorn responded with a flurry of blows that dazed Tree and left her reeling. Faldorn might have won at that point, had she pressed her advantage. But instead she began to cast a spell; an acid arrow meant for Tree's eyes, to repeat her attack as a child.

But she took too long to cast, and Tree caught her with a flying tackle. Before Faldorn could recover, Tree put the Shadow Druid over her shoulders and threw herself backwards, slamming Faldorn into the ground hard, breaking her spine in two places.

But Faldorn was still not dead, and already her drain on the Grove was healing her spine; Tree could hear it cricking back together as Faldorn twitched and writehd on the ground.

So Tree straddled Faldorn, wrapped her hands and her throat, and began to choke her to death, utilizing her energy draining abilities through the choke hold. The drain was faster than Faldorn's regenation, and well the Shadow Druid knew it. Faldorn's fists flailed wildly against Tree's sides, but Tree was implacable. After about two minutes, Tree drained Faldorn enough.

Faldorn made a week gurling noise, and her drain on the Grove faded.

The tension in the air faded, and Tree got off the body. Then, suddenly, she shrieked, and slammed her stave down into the body, impaling it. She spat on the corpse.

Viconia nodded in satisfaction, and reached down a hand to pull Tree up.

-----

"I will restore the balance here," said Cernd, "As it seems to me you have other quests to attend to."

"Not least of which ar the Rakshassa that are lurking here somewhere," said Viconia.

"But first," said Tree, "It is time to restore my mother."
The road to the abyss may be paved with good intentions, but it is those with bad intentions that race down that road as fast as they can.

#2 Guest_bobby23_*

Posted 27 July 2003 - 06:27 PM

'claps his hand'

yes finaly this is what i was talking about, good batel sceen great finis with faldorn and even got the char right

great just plain and simpel great it one of the beter ones

specaly like the bit of the why tree and faldorn hate one and other so much

bloody love it woud have foud it intresting if she taken the gove for herself but oh well cant have everything

#3 Laufey

Posted 27 July 2003 - 07:13 PM

But none angrier than Faldorn. She was still a child; only nine years old. She knew, even in her anger that, she couldn't best me, but she attacked me anyway. I failed to take her seriously. It was the worst mistake I ever made in my life.


Faldorn knew she couldn't beat me honestly. So she had taken a vial of acid and threw it in my eyes. I was blinded. The other Shadow Druids pumelled me, kicked me, beat me. They would've killed me. But Faldorn's mother intervened, and allowed me to flee. Blind and beaten, I stumbled into the night.


Charming young lady, our Faldorn. :) You really manage to establish just how ruthless she is.

I found out later that all of the Shadow Druids felt that Faldorn's mother had shown weakness; they wanted her to step down as leader of their sect. But that was not enough for Faldorn. She...killed her mother."


At the age of nine? Wow...but I can't say I'm all that surprised.

Tree closed her eyes for a moment and them resumed. "I healed slowly, with my..special abilties, in the forrest. A few years later, I met her again. She was astonished not only by my perfect healing, but also by the fact that I had not visibly aged.


'forest'

She saw me as worse than what she saw as the weak, normal druids. Even more of a danger to the Shadow Druids 'true' vision of nature's triumph. She fled from me and tried to arrange an ambush, which I fought through, killing several of her followers. That was shortly before you met her. I suspect the ruling Shadow Archdruids sent her against the Iron Throne in teh Cloakwood to prove herself.


Was it Tree's dryad heritage that made Faldorn despise her? I didn't quite understand why Faldorn thought Tree was worse.


"I told you to watch yourself, Bhaalspawn. A pity you did not listen. And you have made alliance with this...nothing."

ยจ'

And *I* tell you to *wash* yourself. :)


Shaken but nowhere near done, Faldorn responded with a flurry of blows that dazed Tree and left her reeling. Faldorn might have won at that point, had she pressed her advantage. But instead she began to cast a spell; an acid arrow meant for Tree's eyes, to repeat her attack as a child.


Acid arrow? But that's an arcane spell, right? Can Faldorn cast this in the game?

But Faldorn was still not dead, and already her drain on the Grove was healing her spine; Tree could hear it cricking back together as Faldorn twitched and writehd on the ground.


So Tree straddled Faldorn, wrapped her hands and her throat, and began to choke her to death, utilizing her energy draining abilities through the choke hold. The drain was faster than Faldorn's regenation, and well the Shadow Druid knew it. Faldorn's fists flailed wildly against Tree's sides, but Tree was implacable. After about two minutes, Tree drained Faldorn enough.


Faldorn made a week gurling noise, and her drain on the Grove faded.


Niiiice! :)
Rogues do it from behind.

#4 Guest_Oryx_*

Posted 27 July 2003 - 07:46 PM

So what is it between you and Faldorn anyway?" Adrian asked Tree the next morning.


"Yes, this is a female rivalry I look forward to seeing," Viconia agreed, her eyes glittering.


:)

Tree sighed, and a little of the intensity went out of her eyes, for the moment. "Linden March is the Forgotten God. Almost none remember him. The Oak Father knows...but that is another story.


Oooh him! Looking forward to eventual BW tie-ins. :twisted:

In any event, the Shadow Druids approached me when I first came to the Sword coast. I was polite but declined them. They didn't understand; they were angry.


Mobsters always are.

Tree closed her eyes for a moment and them resumed. "I healed slowly, with my..special abilties, in the forrest. A few years later, I met her again. She was astonished not only by my perfect healing, but also by the fact that I had not visibly aged.


Haw haw. I don't suppose you'd treat us to a Tree character sheet?

"So, it is you," said Faldorn. In Adrian's estimation, she had gone even further around the bend. her leather armor was cracked and ripped, she was even dirtier than before, and her eyes glittered with madness.


*cuckoo...cuckoo*..

"We all have our gifts," Tree answered. "Yours will not be enough to save you."


nice line!

Utilizing her unatural agility, Tree ran to the side of the pit, jumped, and her feet bounced off the side of the pit, and she flipped over, striking Faldorn in the belly with both feet, hard. Faldorn rebounded off the pit wall and collapsed.


Go Treenity!

Shaken but nowhere near done, Faldorn responded with a flurry of blows that dazed Tree and left her reeling. Faldorn might have won at that point, had she pressed her advantage. But instead she began to cast a spell; an acid arrow meant for Tree's eyes, to repeat her attack as a child.


Avenger!

But she took too long to cast, and Tree caught her with a flying tackle. Before Faldorn could recover, Tree put the Shadow Druid over her shoulders and threw herself backwards, slamming Faldorn into the ground hard, breaking her spine in two places.


But Faldorn was still not dead, and already her drain on the Grove was healing her spine; Tree could hear it cricking back together as Faldorn twitched and writehd on the ground.


whoa...

So Tree straddled Faldorn, wrapped her hands and her throat, and began to choke her to death, utilizing her energy draining abilities through the choke hold. The drain was faster than Faldorn's regenation, and well the Shadow Druid knew it. Faldorn's fists flailed wildly against Tree's sides, but Tree was implacable. After about two minutes, Tree drained Faldorn enough.


Faldorn made a week gurling noise, and her drain on the Grove faded.


FINISH HER!

The tension in the air faded, and Tree got off the body. Then, suddenly, she shrieked, and slammed her stave down into the body, impaling it. She spat on the corpse.


FATALITY!

Viconia nodded in satisfaction, and reached down a hand to pull Tree up.


-----


"I will restore the balance here," said Cernd, "As it seems to me you have other quests to attend to."


"Not least of which ar the Rakshassa that are lurking here somewhere," said Viconia.


"But first," said Tree, "It is time to restore my mother."


Great chapter. Very satisfying.

#5 Guest_Conrack_*

Posted 28 July 2003 - 10:21 PM

Hello Arcalian! This is the first time i review one of your stories, and i just wanted to tell you that you are doing an amazing job. There aren't many writers who are capable af personizing an evil protagonist like you do.
But i simply must ask: How do you come with it? All the plot twists, the side stories, the plot alterations. How? You seem to be pulling ideas from your sleeve.




"Yes, this is a female rivalry I look forward to seeing," Viconia agreed, her eyes glittering.


You and me both. :P


In any event, the Shadow Druids approached me when I first came to the Sword coast. I was polite but declined them. They didn't understand; they were angry.

Faldorn's mother was the leader of the local sect at the time. She challenged me to a duel. I won, easily, too easily. It was not a duel to the death; but their pride was stung. Faldorn's mother understood that she had lost, but her followers did not. They were angry.

But none angrier than Faldorn. She was still a child; only nine years old. She knew, even in her anger that, she couldn't best me, but she attacked me anyway. I failed to take her seriously. It was the worst mistake I ever made in my life.

Faldorn knew she couldn't beat me honestly. So she had taken a vial of acid and threw it in my eyes. I was blinded. The other Shadow Druids pumelled me, kicked me, beat me. They would've killed me. But Faldorn's mother intervened, and allowed me to flee. Blind and beaten, I stumbled into the night.

I found out later that all of the Shadow Druids felt that Faldorn's mother had shown weakness; they wanted her to step down as leader of their sect. But that was not enough for Faldorn. She...killed her mother."

Tree closed her eyes for a moment and them resumed. "I healed slowly, with my..special abilties, in the forrest. A few years later, I met her again. She was astonished not only by my perfect healing, but also by the fact that I had not visibly aged.

She saw me as worse than what she saw as the weak, normal druids. Even more of a danger to the Shadow Druids 'true' vision of nature's triumph. She fled from me and tried to arrange an ambush, which I fought through, killing several of her followers. That was shortly before you met her. I suspect the ruling Shadow Archdruids sent her against the Iron Throne in teh Cloakwood to prove herself.



A very nice twist. :P




Utilizing her unatural agility, Tree ran to the side of the pit, jumped, and her feet bounced off the side of the pit, and she flipped over, striking Faldorn in the belly with both feet, hard. Faldorn rebounded off the pit wall and collapsed.


Reminds me of a monk. Great class

Tree knew it wouldn't be that easy, of course. She advanced slowly, and was able to dodge aside when Faldorn uncoiled and lunged at her like a striking snake. Faldorn rolled and came up to her knees, spinning her staff and knocking Tree down. She raised her staff for the killing blow, but Tree kicked her in the solar plexus and followed that up with a stave strike to the chin.

Shaken but nowhere near done, Faldorn responded with a flurry of blows that dazed Tree and left her reeling. Faldorn might have won at that point, had she pressed her advantage. But instead she began to cast a spell; an acid arrow meant for Tree's eyes, to repeat her attack as a child.

But she took too long to cast, and Tree caught her with a flying tackle. Before Faldorn could recover, Tree put the Shadow Druid over her shoulders and threw herself backwards, slamming Faldorn into the ground hard, breaking her spine in two places.

But Faldorn was still not dead, and already her drain on the Grove was healing her spine; Tree could hear it cricking back together as Faldorn twitched and writehd on the ground.

So Tree straddled Faldorn, wrapped her hands and her throat, and began to choke her to death, utilizing her energy draining abilities through the choke hold. The drain was faster than Faldorn's regenation, and well the Shadow Druid knew it. Faldorn's fists flailed wildly against Tree's sides, but Tree was implacable. After about two minutes, Tree drained Faldorn enough.

Faldorn made a week gurling noise, and her drain on the Grove faded.

The tension in the air faded, and Tree got off the body. Then, suddenly, she shrieked, and slammed her stave down into the body, impaling it. She spat on the corpse.


A very powerful battle scene. Well done. :P


Impressive, as always.

#6 Guest_Dorotea_*

Posted 29 July 2003 - 01:49 AM

Hi there! I always had hard time hating Faldorn (well, I have a hard time hating almost everybody) but I would say your approach made me shiver. Killing her mother ... well it is 'in character' I suppose since she don't mind draining her other 'mother' - Nature.

I feel more and more interested in Tree, although it is funny that you dislike Jaheira so much that you have to write another druid into this story

:P

Cheers!

#7 Arcalian

Posted 29 July 2003 - 11:42 PM

yes finaly this is what i was talking about, good batel sceen great finis with faldorn and even got the char right


Ironically, I don't think I made the fight scene long enough.

bloody love it woud have foud it intresting if she taken the gove for herself but oh well cant have everything


I was actually thinking of doing that with all the npcs; Edwin and the Planar Sphere, etc. But I want to reach TOB before I;m senile. :)
The road to the abyss may be paved with good intentions, but it is those with bad intentions that race down that road as fast as they can.

#8 Arcalian

Posted 29 July 2003 - 11:53 PM

Was it Tree's dryad heritage that made Faldorn despise her? I didn't quite understand why Faldorn thought Tree was worse.


Faldorn didn't know about that; remember she was surprised at Tree's healing abilities when they met again. And remember Tree plays up the mysterious angle too; she wouldn't just hand that info out to Shadow Druids. Rather, it was her refusal to join them, after it was already clear to them she was not of the Jaheira school of thought on druidism. to the fanatic young Faldorn, this was a sign of ultimate weakness.

And *I* tell you to *wash* yourself. :)


That was the idea behind the Jan story this time around.

Acid arrow? But that's an arcane spell, right? Can Faldorn cast this in the game?


Poetic liscence; I think Shadow Druids would use any advantage available. Perhals she dualed to mage.
The road to the abyss may be paved with good intentions, but it is those with bad intentions that race down that road as fast as they can.

#9 Arcalian

Posted 29 July 2003 - 11:57 PM

Oooh him! Looking forward to eventual BW tie-ins. :)


After TOB, but oh yes.

Haw haw. I don't suppose you'd treat us to a Tree character sheet?


Well obviously I created her for the fic, but.....hmmm. Give me a while to work out all the math and special abilities.

Go Treenity!


Yes indeed. :)
The road to the abyss may be paved with good intentions, but it is those with bad intentions that race down that road as fast as they can.

#10 Arcalian

Posted 30 July 2003 - 12:02 AM

Hello Arcalian! This is the first time i review one of your stories, and i just wanted to tell you that you are doing an amazing job. There aren't many writers who are capable af personizing an evil protagonist like you do.
But i simply must ask: How do you come with it? All the plot twists, the side stories, the plot alterations. How? You seem to be pulling ideas from your sleeve.


Some I've known about almost from the very beginning. Others come to me as I go. Tree herself was one of those inspirations.

Then of course, there's the inpiration I draw from other writers here with their own plot twists.




And you flatter me much. :) :)
The road to the abyss may be paved with good intentions, but it is those with bad intentions that race down that road as fast as they can.

#11 Arcalian

Posted 30 July 2003 - 12:05 AM

Oh, I didn't create Tree because of Jaheira. Originally, I planned to do this quest teh eeeeevil way and poison the font.

No, Tree came into the story because the person she's somewhat based on came into my life. :)
The road to the abyss may be paved with good intentions, but it is those with bad intentions that race down that road as fast as they can.




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

Skin Designed By Evanescence at IBSkin.com