In The Cards

A shapechange can be both exhilarating and frightening. You take on the strengths and weaknesses of the new form, as well as its instincts. You should always bear this in mind, as those instincts may well lead you into acts with unpleasant consequences.

Excerpt from 'Ruminations Of A Master Bard'

There was a house in the heart of the Cloakwood Forest. This might not have been so strange in itself, if it hadn't been for the shape of it. A magnificent tree stood there, its branches seemingly scraping the sky, the trunk too wide for a score of men to encircle with their arms. And in the middle of that tree-trunk there was a door. A smooth, unpainted door, almost invisible against the rest of the tree. It was as if it hadn't so much been placed there, as grown out of the tree itself.

"So who do you suppose lives in a place like that?" Zaerini asked her friends. "I can imagine a few reasonable alternatives myself."

"Such as?" Edwin asked.

"Well…it could be a wicked old man-eating hag."

"No, no," Imoen protested. "Those are supposed to live in gingerbread houses. Not in trees."

"Oh. I suppose so. How about a friendly old Grandma?"

"Inside a tree?" Jaheira said, sounding incredulous. "And whose Grandmother are we talking about anyway?"

"I…I'm not sure," Rini admitted. "Actually, I'm not sure why I said that in the first place. It just…kind of made sense. I don't know why."

"It is because of the power that surrounds this holy place," as strange voice said from behind her. "The power of the wild woods." The half-elf turned around to see a strange woman standing some distance into the trees, watching the adventurers coolly. As she slowly approached Zaerini took in her disheveled brown hair, with twigs and mud clinging to it, the impassive face dominated by a pair of cold gray eyes, and the clothes, gray and brown leather cunningly sewn together to resemble leaves. "I am Faldorn," the woman said. "A protector of this forest, and a member of the True Druids."

Before the bard could respond Jaheira stepped forward, eyes blazing and a hand on the hilt of her scimitar. "Shadowdruid," she growled, never taking her eyes off Faldorn. "So your destructive ways have spread this far."

Faldorn smiled, but there was no warmth to that smile. "Our way is the True Way, weakling," she said. "It is you who would destroy the holy groves and wildernesses of the world, by letting so called 'civilization' spread, like parasites devouring an ancient tree."

"Unlike you, who would needlessly slaughter all mankind, wanting to frighten them away from the woods rather than teaching them to cherish them."

Faldorn shrugged. "At the moment, it matters not what you or I will. You have come here, unto the home of the Archdruid, and rather than having you all slain for your trespassing he has decided to be merciful - for now. He wishes to speak with you, and he has sent me to tell you so."

"And i-if we r-r-refuse?" Khalid said, his voice uncharacteristically firm. "What th-then, Shadowdruid?"

"Then, you will all die, for the very ground and the trees will rise up against you at the Archdruid's command. It is your choice." Faldorn sounded utterly convinced that she was speaking the truth.

"Very well," Rini said. "We will come and see this 'Archdruid' of yours." There was no way of knowing whether Faldorn was lying or not, but she could tell that this was no ordinary place. If she were to fight a druidic sect in the heart of their own power she would prefer to do so when not taken by surprise.

Faldorn simply nodded and led the way to the great tree, pressing her palm against the door when she reached it. It swung open without a sound, and the Shadowdruid led the adventurers inside.

The inside of the tree seemed somehow even larger than the outside. There were no windows, but a pleasant green light emanated from the walls. Passing through a first room holding only a few austere pieces of furniture, Faldorn guided the adventurers up a narrow flight of stairs winding itself up inside the tree-trunk. They came out into a second room, a bedchamber by the looks of it. The man who was turned from one of the bookcases to greet them looked extremely odd, Zaerini thought, even for somebody living inside a giant tree. His manner of dress was similar to Faldorn's, green and brown leathers decorated with patterns resembling leaves and vines. He was of indeterminate age, his tangled salt-and-pepper beard and hair making it difficult to tell, and he was very, very dirty. Mud and twigs were stuck in his hair, clothes and beards, and Rini even thought she could spot a dead beetle somewhere in there. The reek that surrounded him was such that it made it difficult to breathe.

I wonder why religious fanatics so often seem to be opposed to the concept of soap and water, she thought. Maybe they think there's something particularly holy about dirt.

"So, you have come," he said in a voice that reminded the bard of the creaking of a very old door. Probably spent so much time rolling in the mud that he's forgotten how to talk. "Who dares presume to trespass upon nature's territory whilst A Shadow Archdruid looks on? Who could be so hungry for death? More of that softhearted fool Seniyad's weakling pawns no doubt! How he can be one of the three with his pacifist attitudes is beyond logic!"

Seniyad? Zaerini thought. That was the one who wanted to slaughter Aldeth for hunting a little game in the forest, wasn't it? And if he's a softhearted fool, then I really don't think I'm going to like this guy.

"Pardon my ignorance," she said, determined to buy some time. "Just what is an Archdruid?"

The man's face tightened in a fierce scowl. Or at least she thought it did. Underneath all that hair it was hard to tell for sure. "Ignorance is never to be pardoned!," he snapped. "Lessons hard learnt are the ones best remembered. I shall enlighten you, and then pose my question again. I am an Archdruid of the Shadow Druids, one of the few with my level of experience, and it is our duty to purge nature of outsiders. Druidic orders that think people can exist alongside nature are doomed to fail. I and my devoted followers shall restore nature to its former glory the only way possible: active aggression! So again I put it to you: who are you to dare trespass in nature's territory? Decadent city-dwellers, no doubt."

"Tell me something," Edwin said in an urbane voice that instantly set off warning-bells inside Rini's head. "In this commendable urge to 'purge nature', did perhaps you and your devoted followers forget to purge yourselves? You do look as if you could use it. Here's a small tip for you. B-A-T-H. Just a little something us decadent city-dwellers invented millennia ago in order not to make the eyes of others water from our body-odor. You might want to look into it. Who knows, after a thorough washing you may even start looking human. (Though I sincerely doubt it. More likely he's dirt through and through and will simply dissolve altogether.)"

"Impertinence!" Faldorn sputtered. "We are Shadowdruids. We live like animals, wild and free. Animals do not wash!"

Really? Softpaws waspishly commented. Shows how much you really know about animals, Stinky.

"You dare insult me while we stand on holy ground?" the Archdruid intoned in a dangerous voice.

"Stand?" Rini said. "Looks more like you smeared your 'holy ground' all over yourself. What's the matter? Trying to cover an embarrassing rash you got from dallying with a rabid bear?" Then she gave Faldorn an apologetic glance. "Oops. Sorry. Didn't mean to let the others know about your little secret." She had decided that the situation was probably unsalvageable anyway. She might as well tell the two Shadowdruids exactly what she thought of them.

"As bluntly as the children put it," Jaheira said, "they are quite right. You are abominations, thinking to own nature rather than to guard it. Nature is the birthright of all, not just those called to become druids! And you are mistaken. I do not think people need to exist alongside nature. People are part of nature, and the role of the druid is to help make them remember that."

"Then die," the Archdruid snarled, "and may your corpse feed the Great Trees." He immediately started chanting a spell, Faldorn following his example. Rini wasted no time, quickly intoning the words to summon Magic Missiles. There was a curious ringing in her ears, but she ignored it, thinking only of the battle ahead. The spell formed inside her mind, it launched - but something was wrong. Her entire body was tingling, and rather than the glowing balls of energy she had been expecting she felt something cold and wet against her face. Snow?! she thought. Inside a tree?!

And snow it was, a veritable snowstorm suddenly raging inside the closed space of the room, half blinding the combatants, whipping against their faces. Something had taken her spell and twisted it all up. "Edwin, don't!" the bard screamed as she suddenly recalled seeing the wizard starting a spell of his own. But it was too late. Edwin finished his spell, and as he did he was suddenly enveloped by a cloud of bright red smoke. When it cleared the wizard was nowhere to be seen. A dark gray wolf stood there in his stead, looking extremely puzzled about what had happened. A Wild Magic field, Rini realized. And it seems to only affect arcane magic, not priestly. We are in such trouble now…Gods, I hope Eddie is all right!

Meanwhile the Archdruid finished his spell, a blade of roaring flames leaping into his hands. Faldorn's skin took on a brown tinge and became as hard as the bark of an old tree. Abandoning all thoughts of further spellcasting Zaerini started firing arrows at the two druids in hopes of interrupting their spells, and Imoen did the same. It was hard to aim in the still ongoing snowstorm though. Khalid drew his sword, and as it met the flaming blade of the Archdruid sparks flew high and sizzled in the whirling snow. Jaheira finished a spell of her own, and suddenly she seemed to grow in stature, her eyes taking on a cold glow. As she turned on Faldorn the Shadowdruid shied back in fear, but the effect was only temporary. Spinning around Faldorn twisted away from Jaheira, and in a swirl of flashing light she shifted form, fur erupting from her skin, jaws elongating into a muzzle until she had fully changed into a growling brown wolf.

Jaheira's mouth set in a grim line as she watched the approaching animal. Raising her hands again she began another spell, but Rini had no time to watch her further, being forced to concentrate on the Archdruid. Khalid was hard pressed. The druid was no great swordsman by any means, but his flaming sword forced the half-elven warrior to take extra care, and kept him at a distance. At least it had stopped snowing by now.

Edwin, meanwhile, had got over the worst shock of suddenly finding himself transformed into a lupine form, and since he was currently unable to use magic he had apparently decided to let the instincts of the wolf body take over. He leapt without making a sound, burying sharp fangs in the meaty flesh of the Archdruid's thigh, sending hot blood spurting all over the room as the druid screamed with pain. The transformed wizard hung on for dear life, his paws sliding across the smooth floor as his victim tried to kick and beat him off. And then there was a gray blur in the air and the druid's screams of pain and anger ended in a choked gurgle as his throat was violently ripped open.

Faldorn?! Zaerini confusedly thought at the sight of this second wolf. But no…this wolf was gray, not brown. The female wolf shook the dead body a final time, then licked her muzzle clean. Despite her ferocious appearance her green eyes were clear and focused. "Jaheira?!" the bard exclaimed, hardly believing her eyes. The wolf shimmered briefly and Jaheira assumed her normal form, wiping her face clean with her sleeve. Rini turned her head to see Faldorn, still in wolf shape, break free of the holding spell that had immobilized her and run off down the stairs, her tail firmly tucked between her legs.

"Oh no," Imoen said. "She's getting away!"

"Pfeh," the druid snorted. "That one is just a low wolf. She's not worth the trouble."

Speaking of wolves, where's…"Edwin!" Rini shouted and threw herself at the wolf that was unsteadily getting to his feet again, scrambling out from beneath the Archdruid's corpse, hastily running her hands through the thick fur to check for injuries. Most of the blood seemed to be the druid's fortunately enough. The wolf stood motionless, allowing her to fuss over him without seeming to mind in the slightest. In fact, she thought she could see his tail wag slowly. So intent was the half-elf on her ministrations that she barely noticed the sound of quiet chanting behind her, or the white glow that filled the air. She did notice that she was suddenly standing very close to a very human wizard however. Very, very close. And with her arms…wrapped around him…very tightly indeed…

"Ooops!" Zaerini blurted out, feeling her cheeks burn as hot as the Archdruid's now extinguished sword had done as she took a step backwards. "Sorry! I…I didn't mean…"

"No, no, that is quite all r-right," Edwin stammered, looking almost as embarrassed as she felt. "In fact, I actually…er…that is…I quite appreciate your concern, misguided as it is. I could have handled him on my own, you know. (Yes…very….very pleasant indeed. Now if only there wasn't a huge audience of goggling monkeys to witness this.)"

"Are you sure you're not hurt?"

Perhaps you want to give him a more thorough examination? Softpaws innocently asked. I'm sure he'd oblige.

Softy, stop it. He could have been seriously harmed. Even…even killed.

So pet him a little more. You both certainly seemed to enjoy it.

SOFTY!

"I am fine," Edwin said, and then made a face. "Well, for the most part." He turned to Jaheira. "I'm surprised you aren't on the floor puking your guts out. I know I certainly feel like it."

"What?" Rini asked. "Being a wolf was that bad?"

"No, no. Not in itself." The wizard shuddered with disgust. "But I bit him, didn't I? Would you believe it, he tasted even worse than he smelled?"