Rose - A DnD Story

Chapter 1 - Quiet Night

Everything was calm that night on Mount Celestia. The water was still, the sky was clear and the town was at peace. A young priest made his way along the cobbled street, holding a lantern as he recited his evening pray. This part of the city lay close to the boarder to the Inner Planes, so not many beings choose to stay here, but he didn't mind. His name was Eran Duncan, an aasimar cleric, he had only just been promoted Father after years of training. He continued to walk in silence until he arrived back at the temple. With a sigh, he took off his hood and placed the lantern on a hook outside the door.

Now, don't get me wrong, Eran was happy that he was entrusted to organize a temple for his God, Lyssa, but he wondered why she was only given this small temple and so close to the Planar Portal. He looked out onto the temple's garden, which appeared to back onto river, which ran off the edge of the Plane. Listening to the water rushing he walked up to what looked like a very plain wooden fence. He lent over a looked out, his vision changed from the river to an endless horizon of mountains. He smiled. He never understood why people never entered the Martial Plane, he found it so beautiful. He watched as the sun started to set, making the mountains appear golden. He watched as birds flew over and the clouds turned pink. Closing his eyes he tuned into the sounds of the wind, the songs of the birds, a baby crying... He opened his eyes.

"What?"

He lent forward, trying to get closer. He could still hear it, that was definitely a child crying. In that moment he felt a voice call out.

Find the child

Without thinking, he jumped the fence and took a step inside of the portal, feeling the air around him turn from warm to freezing. He pulled his robes over himself a bit more, looking around for any signs of life. He took a couple more steps forward, trying to find out where the crying was coming from. The sky getting darker, he knew he didn't have long. He took a couple more steps into the Plane, watching as the sun went down.

"What am I doing?" He said to himself, knowing he shouldn't be here. He quickly spun round to head back when he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to see an owl had landed on the rock next to him. It seemed to stare into his eyes before looking down the mountain. He followed its gaze to see a group of soldiers marching in formation. The owl took flight, moving closer to the path before looking back at Eran. It seemed to be calling him down. Taking it as a sign he moved closer, keeping himself hidden from the solider's line of sight. He ducked behind the rock and listened.

"Are these humans?" He asked himself, quietly as they made their way towards him.

"What are you waiting for, find them! Otherwise the king will have your heads!" Eran ducked right down, these guys didn't sound good. He looked back up at the owl, it was still there but it's attention seemed to be back up the mountain. "Stinking thieves, they couldn't have gone far!" Eran looked back up to the Planar Portal, though he couldn't see the temple fence, he could sense where it was, but there seemed to be a dim light moving closer towards it.

"There he is! Get him!" He heard the same soldier shout, followed by their armour moving as they ran. Once he was sure that they had gone, he popped his head back up and looked back up to the portal, there didn't seem to be a light anymore. Slowly he made his way back up the mountain.

"I hope no one went through" he spoke as he carefully made his way up. Once he was back up to the portal he looked back down the mountain, unable to see the lights of the soldiers. With a sign he took a step back through. To his surprise, the owl flew in after him. He watched as it flew up to the temple and sat on top of the hook where his lantern was sitting, looking down. With a sigh he looked back out over the mountains as the stars appeared in the sky. He hopped back over the fence and made his way back to the temple door. "Come on you, you need to go home." He said to the owl, but it still continued to look down. Confused, he followed it's eyeline to see a bundle of material on the floor. Shocked, he took a quick look around to see who had left it, when he couldn't see anyone, he reached down the pick it up. That's when he noticed it started to move. Surprised, he jumped back so he was sitting on the floor.

"Oh no! Oh, no, no, no, no!" He said reaching back over and carefully picking up the bundle, it was heavier than cloth. He pulled the corner over a saw a face. Quickly he put it back and held the child to his chest, looking at the owl. The owl just tilted it head. "I have to find their parents, they can't stay here." He said out loud. He started to make his way back to the fence before he felt a little hand grab his robe. He looked down at the child, who had managed to free their hand.

"I can't take them back now, they will get too cold." He said, turning back and getting inside the temple. He was in panic mode. He ran around trying to think what he needed to do. There wasn't any written protocol for this! After about 10 minutes of panicking, he collapse against the wall and suck to the floor.

"The council are gonna kill me!" He said as he took the child away from his chest and slowly pulled the material back again. The child looked up at him with bright blue eyes, reaching their hand up to his face, as they did, Eran could see a piece of paper tucked away inside one of the folds. He pulled it out and read what it said.

If you are reading this, my name is Rose. My mother and father will come back for me, but please look after me until they come back.

"I'm guessing you didn't write this, did you?" He moved himself so the child was laying across his arms. "I'll ... *yawn* take you home in the morning." He said, letting his eyes close, "It will be better to search for them when it's day light."

***

Eran squeezed his eyes shut as the sun slowly grew on his face. He went to go a lift a hand up but felt the weight move in his arms. He looked down to see Rose wiggling inside the cloth. With a smile he stood up.

"Ok little one, let's go and find your parents." He said, as he stood up and headed back to the fence. Before climbing over he had a look around to make sure no one was watching. Once he was sure no one was there, he projected his wings out of his back and took flight, traveling though the Planar portal and over the mountain tops, in search of the nearest town.