A small glimpse into the lives of people of Oren's vast and rich lands. From the scorching sands of the dust bowl in Beccinem, to dense forests of Altura. The snow capped peaks of Valincoria, and the deadly lands of the old world.
The rustling of leaves filled the air as a soft breath left Pawarams' lips, her mind drew blank as she watched the deer graze in the shadow of the giant oak trees. She gripped her wooden staff & slowly drew it closer pointing the blue crystal towards the buck. Her heart slowed with her breath & the falling leaves seemed to freeze in place as a bolt of green light shot from the crystal streaking through the trees striking the buck in the side. It let out a cry as it ran, in a smooth motion Pawaram sprinted after the buck, "Brutus after it!" She ordered as her large hound ran after the deer. Her feet were silent as she seemed to glide across the forest floor chasing after her dinner. Running alongside Brutus the huntress chased drawing her dagger as they drew closer she whipped the dagger in her hand & vines spring from the ground ensnaring the deer. It cried out trying to escape. She kneeled beside the deer placing a hand on its side as she muttered a few words "I am but a simple flower I take what the forests give & when my time comes I will give all I have taken." She says as she silences the deer. She waits a moment for it to be still before she begins to butcher the deer taking most of its meats & its pelt. One by one she wraps the meat in cloth & sets it into a set of satchels hanging from either side of Brutus like saddlebags would a horse. Every time she set a piece of meat into the bag a green magical glyph appeared on the side of the bag able to fit most of it into the bags she put the last of it into her bag. "Dad was right about these bags Brutus, no more dragging a 7 bar buck back home" she laughed with a smile as she gave her friend some love. "It looks like a storm is on the horizon, we should hurry home," she said as her stride grew into a jog than a sprint as she and Brutus raced home.
The wind began to howl as the sky darkened under the blanket of gray clouds & and a small cabin home came into view, smoke billowed from the stone chimney & the scent of onions and stew filled the air around the cabin. "Dad! We're home! I got some deer!" she said swinging open the door and hugging her large father. "Welcome home sweetheart! Your mother is in town right now getting your- um getting some ingredients I forgot," the man said in hopes she wouldn't notice his little slip-up. Pawaram smiled as she took off her cloak, a messy strange net with moss and vines growing across it covering it fully. "Don't worry I'll still act surprised when Mom gets home," She replied looking at her staff, "It's finally my turn to add to the family tome, my turn to add a chapter." "Your mother is in town grabbing you a Mirror Pen so we can see your adventures while you're out there," he quickly pulls her into a hug trying to keep her from seeing his tears. She returns the hug and tells him, "Thank you." Two simple words were all she could say after spending her whole life preparing for this moment.
The sound of Horse hooves striking stones outside their door, "Took her long enough" Her dad said laughing as he let her out of the hug, "remember I told you nothing." The door swung open with a beautiful woman standing in the doorway, a moment passed before Pawaram ran to hug her. "He told you didn't he," her mother asked rolling her eyes as her husband tried to not make eye contact. "You should know not to trust him with a secret," pawaram said pulling away from her mother, "can we eat now? I'm withering away soon I'll be nothing but dust," Pawaram moaned as she feigned herself melting.
Sitting at the table eating their stew pawarams' father would tell stories to her about his adventures as well as his father's & grandfather's adventures of massive hunts for beasts in the old world. Of friends finding each other & becoming legends. "Tomorrow is the start of your hunt. I know you will make us proud. You'll build your hunting party & see both the terror & treasure this world has." Her father told her as he motioned to a skull of a monstrosity he hunted in the old world. Its skull was unsettling & it held 4 sockets for its eyes. "Don't worry kid, you'll get your Ikelos som just don't rush it" her father reassured her, "Find your party, & the hunt will come to you." Her mother pulled a map from her bag and unrolled it onto the table, "This is a Mirror map, like the pen this map and its anchor will show where the other is at all times. It's also just a good map."
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Spending a few more hours talking about her plans for traveling and settling on her first stop being the nearby town of Prinus. Midnight passed as Pawaram lay awake in her bed unable to sleep. Tossing & turning in her bed for what seemed like hours she pulled herself out of bed, "Brutus," she called out in a hushed tone, "Where are you?" A feeling of unease swirled in her gut & she could feel her muscles burning. "Brutus where are you?" she yelled as her fingers curled around her staff pulling it closer and peering into the main room of the cabin seeing the large dog asleep on the floor. "Brutus what are you doing out here?" she interrogated walking over waking him up. "Come on," she berated before she froze in fear, "Pawaram sweetheart let me in," her father called to her from outside the front door of the cabin, "Please Pawaram the storm is harsh tonight." The storm she had completely tuned out the sound of the wind and thunder. "What are you do-" her sentence was cut short as a flash of lightning cast a haunting shadow through the window of the creature behind the door, the glimpse she got of its twisted body shot fear through her body. Her eyes strained to make out the faint shadow in the moonlight. Antlers reached upwards from the top of its head and she watched as its mouth moved, "Pawaram please I can hear something out here." it raised its twisted arm and began to bang on the door. As her heart raced she heard the snort of her father snoring in their room. "S-silence coward!" she called out to it her voice trembling before hardening. "Pawaram let me in!" the creature growled pounding on the door harder, the steel nails rusted from time seemed as though they would give way any moment. "Mother may your wrath rain upon my foes," she hissed gripping her staff aiming it at the door. "Leave trickster before you face the wrath of the forest," she ordered her voice as solid as stone. "LET ME IN," the monster roared as it slammed its body against the door breaking it from its rusted hinges landing on all fours its face lit by the blue glow of the crystal. Before she could even see the whites of the creature's eyes Pawaram focused on her staff and roaring blasts of fire rocketed forward from the crystal striking the beast causing it to let out an unholy cry making Pawarams ears ache and nearly bringing her to her knees. Pawaram let out a scream as she continued to spew arcane fire from the staff. A fear like no other filled her body, horror gripped her mind the beast's hand reached through the fires toward her face, it terrified her.
In a cold sweat, she shot awake, the sound of chirping birds slowly drew her back to reality, the sun was up & Brutus was awake standing making sure she was alright awoken by her thrashing in her sleep. She hugged him his fur nearly smothering her as she saw her staff & cloak sitting right where she left them right by her door. A moment passed before standing to her feet. "Today's the day Brutus."
