A farmer comes over to the fire. And out of curiosity of whether Ravinal is asleep or just sitting still under his hood; he approaches Ravinal to speak to him. As the farmer tentatively reaches for Ravenal’s shoulder, with feral speed, Ravinal snatches his hand. The farmer lets out a barely audible yelp, yet is steadfast in his curiosity. “I…I….I didn’t know whether you were awake. I….I…was just wondering; about you. I think I heard an Orc at one time call you Rav. Na…No one knows of you here. Stories are told of a beastman…….”
The farmer, Kenan, is abruptly cut short on his speech by a soft growl, “I am not …..a beastman. My name…..is Ravinal Goodson. And if you want to know anything of me, just ask it. I have no secrets.” With that, Ravinal releases Kenan’s hand.
Kenan finds a log seat by almost stumbling into it and sits. His nerves relax a bit as he waits for Ravinal to speak.
Ravinal sighs and begins, “If you want to know about who and what I truly am, then you must know of my past. “ Ravinal lowers his hood and contemplates his life for a moment. He begins his story by laughing grimly at what he remembers. “I wasn’t a very happy child. I was born to slavery. Dark elves had taken my family in a small skirmish.”
Tale telling time
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Tale telling time
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“A symbol was placed onto my forehead to let other Dark elves know that I was the property of that family. From the time I was magically branded to when I think I turned sixteen, I worked my fingers to the bone for every scrap of food they would drop on me. At least, I hope it was food. I didn’t bother to learn their language. I just did as I was told in common speak, to do. I wasn’t allowed to see any of my family.” He pauses.” Can’t even remember what my parents faces looked like.”
“In growing older, either they became ignorant of my actions or I became more skilled. I happen to think it was the latter. It’s also possibly they just didn’t care anymore. Whatever the case, I was able to escape. I……hide and ran when they weren’t looking. I’m sure they must have seen me at some time. Knowing what I know now, they are stealthier than I could ever dream to be.”
“Fate seems to run hot in my life. I had good luck after years of wandering and working for more scraps of food. I happened across a witch hunter who removed the symbol from my head. I was obligated to repay this woman for her help. Her name was Ukuminora and she had come to those lands specifically for the Dark elves. I helped her in telling her all I knew about their culture.” Ravinal pauses once again as he realizes something. “I knew more about them then I cared to know.”
“In growing older, either they became ignorant of my actions or I became more skilled. I happen to think it was the latter. It’s also possibly they just didn’t care anymore. Whatever the case, I was able to escape. I……hide and ran when they weren’t looking. I’m sure they must have seen me at some time. Knowing what I know now, they are stealthier than I could ever dream to be.”
“Fate seems to run hot in my life. I had good luck after years of wandering and working for more scraps of food. I happened across a witch hunter who removed the symbol from my head. I was obligated to repay this woman for her help. Her name was Ukuminora and she had come to those lands specifically for the Dark elves. I helped her in telling her all I knew about their culture.” Ravinal pauses once again as he realizes something. “I knew more about them then I cared to know.”
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“No longer having to hide, I started trying to make my way in the world. I went to city after city to find a new way of life. I found so much difficulty in what was thought of as normal life. So I chose to live in the forest.” He grins. “Actually, I think the forest chose me.”
“I had no foraging skills. I didn’t know how to build a shelter. Yet, it seemed like everything was provided for me. I came to an abandoned cabin, away from the kingdom I wandered to half a year before. The land was plentiful with natural fruit to harvest and game to hunt. And some how, my loneliness was always interrupted with sudden company. Different people drifted to those lands randomly. It seemed that my suffering was being rewarded with good fortune.”
Kenan interrupted, “So, how did you get here. And what of those Phoenix people you seem to be apart of.”
Somewhat annoyed, “I was getting to that. Things never stay perfect, at least not for me. Though, for awhile it felt perfect to me. I think I was twenty-four when I met my wife. She was so beautiful. I was dazed by her grace. And when she asked to be sheltered from the weather in my acquired home, there was no way I could tell her no. Loet, was everything I ever wanted in my life. Each day with her guaranteed that there would be another perfect day in my future.”
“I had no foraging skills. I didn’t know how to build a shelter. Yet, it seemed like everything was provided for me. I came to an abandoned cabin, away from the kingdom I wandered to half a year before. The land was plentiful with natural fruit to harvest and game to hunt. And some how, my loneliness was always interrupted with sudden company. Different people drifted to those lands randomly. It seemed that my suffering was being rewarded with good fortune.”
Kenan interrupted, “So, how did you get here. And what of those Phoenix people you seem to be apart of.”
Somewhat annoyed, “I was getting to that. Things never stay perfect, at least not for me. Though, for awhile it felt perfect to me. I think I was twenty-four when I met my wife. She was so beautiful. I was dazed by her grace. And when she asked to be sheltered from the weather in my acquired home, there was no way I could tell her no. Loet, was everything I ever wanted in my life. Each day with her guaranteed that there would be another perfect day in my future.”
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“I know; it’s very sappy. Memories work that way sometimes.” For a while Ravinal is silent as he grimaces while dwelling on her memory. Kenan tries to be patient as the silence becomes uncomfortable. Ravinal looks up and notices that he’s actually stopped talking and started living the moments with her in his mind. He sighs and continues the story. Although it seems that he wants to finish his story less and less. “We lived in that cabin for years and had a daughter, Zysy. Zysy was every bit as beautiful as her mother. Yet, as I’ve already told you, things never stay……..happy…… for me.” He says as some of his feral nature emerges.
“Once again war spilled into my family’s life.” He says as he pulls his hood back on. “This time it was the Orcs who destroyed my life. They fought against humans. The Orcs took my dwelling as their war post. They defended themselves from inside my family’s home.” Once again he pauses as his anger fills the air like a sharp scent. “They took my family as hostages against the coming onslaught. How was the Phoenix to know that the seemingly abandoned cabin still had life within it? When the battle spilled in and they threatened to kill our daughter; my wife…..Loet…….broke free of her bonds and began to fight the Orcs. I felt so helpless and useless. She fought so astonishingly well. The sight of her helped me find from somewhere deep down, the strength to break my own bonds. Though as I ran to help her………. They ran her through and tore her apart in front of me.”
“Once again war spilled into my family’s life.” He says as he pulls his hood back on. “This time it was the Orcs who destroyed my life. They fought against humans. The Orcs took my dwelling as their war post. They defended themselves from inside my family’s home.” Once again he pauses as his anger fills the air like a sharp scent. “They took my family as hostages against the coming onslaught. How was the Phoenix to know that the seemingly abandoned cabin still had life within it? When the battle spilled in and they threatened to kill our daughter; my wife…..Loet…….broke free of her bonds and began to fight the Orcs. I felt so helpless and useless. She fought so astonishingly well. The sight of her helped me find from somewhere deep down, the strength to break my own bonds. Though as I ran to help her………. They ran her through and tore her apart in front of me.”
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“I’m so sorry for your loss.” Says Kenan as he hears the emotion in Ravinal’s tale. “I don’t know what I possibly could say to, even now; help you with such a huge loss.”
“Nothing.” Ravinal whispers his replies. “I stood stunned for so long. Yet, my rage ruptured hotter then any fire. It was then that I found the first sensation of the wolf spirit within me. I moved to intercept my Zysy and flee my ‘home’ with her. Yet as I was fighting to get to her, they already were taking her away. I don’t know what they planned to do to her…………….no parent should out live their children.” He pauses as a tear drips from his chin. The memories still seared into his eyes. He doesn’t bother to wipe the stream of the tear away. “I set my path of vengeance then.”
Ravinal sits there and shakes his hooded head. “I killed so many that day. And I planned to die. In just moments I’d lost everything I felt was wonderful. I would have continued to kill until I died. Yet, when I was in the greatest of danger, I was suddenly knocked out.”
“I awoke at the war post of the Phoenix. They had tended to my wounds. And although I had thanked them for saving me.” He says in almost a whisper, “I hated them for doing so.” The fragments of hate slowly melt away in the air, and the area around him becomes less menacing.
“Nothing.” Ravinal whispers his replies. “I stood stunned for so long. Yet, my rage ruptured hotter then any fire. It was then that I found the first sensation of the wolf spirit within me. I moved to intercept my Zysy and flee my ‘home’ with her. Yet as I was fighting to get to her, they already were taking her away. I don’t know what they planned to do to her…………….no parent should out live their children.” He pauses as a tear drips from his chin. The memories still seared into his eyes. He doesn’t bother to wipe the stream of the tear away. “I set my path of vengeance then.”
Ravinal sits there and shakes his hooded head. “I killed so many that day. And I planned to die. In just moments I’d lost everything I felt was wonderful. I would have continued to kill until I died. Yet, when I was in the greatest of danger, I was suddenly knocked out.”
“I awoke at the war post of the Phoenix. They had tended to my wounds. And although I had thanked them for saving me.” He says in almost a whisper, “I hated them for doing so.” The fragments of hate slowly melt away in the air, and the area around him becomes less menacing.
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“Since then I’ve joined them. In the service of the Phoenix Guard I have found some Dark elves and Orcs opposed to how I thought they always were. I also have learned to respect that my life may still be needed. Is there anything else you’d like to know?”
Kenan seems awed by what he’s heard. He leans against his farming rake while sitting on the log and stays silent for quite awhile. He blinks away the imagery of the story, “I thank you for telling me of who you are. I don’t have much of my story you’d be interested in, but maybe someday I can return the favor.” Kenan nods to Ravinal in respect and goes back to the farms.
Kenan seems awed by what he’s heard. He leans against his farming rake while sitting on the log and stays silent for quite awhile. He blinks away the imagery of the story, “I thank you for telling me of who you are. I don’t have much of my story you’d be interested in, but maybe someday I can return the favor.” Kenan nods to Ravinal in respect and goes back to the farms.
deceased