Spirit Walker

[Fume]

And so it was that I came upon this place young of heart and body. Long ago, so long long ago now. Like another world, I look upon through the mists of my memories.
It happened then, I still dont know why, but I only know it did.
A young man of strong build and skilled at the blade, I joined the ranks of the Black claw mercenary group, hoping to make a name for myself in this world of endless peril and war.

And so it was that we were ordered to march upon a settlement in the dark forest, a band of outcasts and elves mostly. Or so we were told. They had chosen to squat upon the land of one particularly spitefull Baron. Or so we were told. Later I discovered the baron had claimed the lands for himself and sought to cleanse it of any other claiments, regardless of how long theyd been there, but these are the ways of the world.

Despite our 50 strong force, our armour, training and weapons of steel were no match for this elusive enemy, who cut us down from the shadows with arrows and sneak attacks as we struggled to engage them through the twisting thicket.

When all was said and done and my comrades all lay dead, I found it peculiar that this invisible enemy didnt even loot our corpses, just left us to the forest where we fell, to rot, or worse.

Propped up against a tree, I looked upon what remained of my 50 strong patrol as I too slowly bled out from the barbed arrows that had mortally wounded and poisoned me.
Unlike the others, I was unlucky, stricken but not killed, it was my fate to slowly succumb to my wounds, I estimated a few days of fever and wretched pain before my final breath brought me releif.
Oh the pain was unbearable as my wounds festered and blood boiled from the poison. I cried out but none came to aid me.

It was the second day of my ordeal, I roused  groggily to the sound of a twig snapping, and there before stood a wolf of dire dimensions, baring its teeth as it surveyed me.

My sword still in my bloody hand I looked at the beast. Clever it was, it knew of the ways of men, for it seemed to be wary of the weapons potential to do it harm.

No more fight in me, I coughed blood as I raised my weapon. The wolf took a step back as i threw the blade away. This appeared to surprise the beast, it tilted its head curiously a moment as I bared my neck to it and called to it.
End my misery, I beg of you. Take what remains of my life and bring me peace.

The wolf approached, teeth bared. I beckoned it, yearning for the release its jaws offered of the agony i felt. It approached till we were eye to eye. I stared into its cold blue eyes, and it stared back at mine, straight into my soul.

I began to feel a strange bond of knowing forming, no words were spoken but I came to realise that this creature was not what I saw.
It was a...lady of the forest, in wolf form, a shape shifter.
As I lost consciousness I knew that she was going to help me, why, to this day, I have no idea.

I awoke some days later, at the edge of the forest, my wounds dressed, my bloodied armour washed and cleaned. The spirits of the forest had chosen to let me live, even when I yearned for death.
As I glanced back one last time into the forest, I could feel her, nay, them watching.
From that day on, the spirits seemed to follow me. It seems said a wizard I confided in regarding this most unusual event, that the spirits had chosen me. To what end, he remained unsure.

[Fume]

It was a matter of some concern for me, this I can tell you, the fact that far as I knew, I was the only survivor of the forest incursion, and further, my wounds were bandaged and cleaned in a manner of quality far beyond that of a simple combat field dressing.

I contemplated fleeing as the lot I worked for were inherently suspicious and I feared may come to beleive that I had something to do with the incursions dismal failure.
In the end I chose to report back to the keep and my commander believing it the most prudent course of action, for if I fled now, guilty or not I would most surely be hunted down and killed.

With crossbows leveled at me I emtered the keep as a sole survivor and in short order was interrogated by my commander who was a mighty and surly halforc, while the baron and his aids listened to what I had to tell.

I told them all exactly as it happened, even the part regarding my concern about returning due to the fact that I was the only survivor,  something which had been confirmed to me during the course of the interrogation.

My halforc commander, known for his temper was quite upset to put it mildly at the loss of so many men and made his feelings clear by destroying half the rooms furnishings in a raging maelstrom, to illusrate in a physical manifestation that the loss of so many men would hurt the Black claw mercenary company deeply. For a moment I thought he was going to kill us all, but the destruction of the room luckily seemed to satiate sufficiently his overwhelming urge to destroy.
The Baron and his men watched this transpire silently with reservation, perhaps knowing better then to intervene whilst a hardened battlerager raged.

Eventually, satisfied with my account of the happenings after repeated questioning, I was dismissed by my commander to rest my injuries. I would be assigned further duties once able bodied once more.

The baron, his aids and my commander discussed and argued about this entire situation at great lengh. Why was I spared? So that I may relay what had happened as a warning not to return to the forest? Perhaps.
Did I hide in cowardice and surrender for my life whilst my comrades all fell defiantly? Possibly. They were unsure. But were convinced I had no part in the slaughter.

In all this, they did not understand what I had told them about the wolf maiden. About, them, the spiritfolk. I felt them even now.

The baron and my commander discussed another incursion, this time with triple the men. But these plans were costly and difficult to execute. It would take time to muster the willing souls, especially once the word of what had happened to the first incursion spread.
But then the baron hatched a most sinister plan to tip the odds of this stalemate in his favour. His plan shocked me I must declare in its callous ferocity. Plans were drawn up to burn the forest down to flush out these, vagrants as he put it. A most severe course of action to say the least.

Tar and oil would be used along a vast line to start and encourage the blaze. Preperations would begin in the morning and later in the day the blaze lit. Upon hearing this I felt a strange deep intrepidation, for both the forest, all the creatures within and indeed the spiritfolk as I chose to call them. My emotions got the better of me and I gasped in shock as the face of the wolfmaiden filled my mind. I left the chambers in short order, unable to listen to any more as plans were discussed and finalised in cold callous detail.

I give you my word, I had nothing to do with what followed that very evening in that keep. It was something I had never seen before, nor ever saw again.

I woke to screams and fighting in the middle of the night. The keep was being sacked. But this was no ordinary assault, it was as though the forest itself attacked. Bears, tigers, wolves and all other manner of creature stormed the keep, even the plants themselves, huge shambling mounds bludgeoning all in their path. An army, so many. Oh it was a sight to behold. Not ten paces before me a tiger, but one of many mauled a keeps guard stationed near my quarter, then turned its attention to me as the guard fell.
I feared I would be next as the tiger set its gaze upon me. But I knew that gaze, I had seen this before. The tiger let me live, and moved on, almost as though I was part of the forest. I felt I could do no more then to return to my quarter and wait till this night of death was over.

In the morning, I came to see scores of men laying dead with their throats torn, among them what remained of my troop, including my commander and the baron himself. Only myself and a handfull of servants had been spared. We were all that remained of the inhabitants of this doomed keep.

Had there been a spy? A turncoat, an informant which had alerted the forest folk of what was being planned? We had to find and kill this vile agent, responsible for this horrendous betrayal and slaughter. For it appeared that knowledge of the keep had assisted the attackers.

It was then that I felt the spiritfolk within me, I felt a warmth, kinship, as they seemed thankfull to me. It was a strong warm feeling, but for a moment only, then was gone. But why? Was it not I who should be thankfull to them for letting me live?
Then the epithany hit me like a giants hammer.
There was no spy, traitor or informant.
The one responsible for this carnage, the one who had alerted the forests spiritfolk was none other then, myself!

Through divination most likely I later learned, I had unknowingly sent them a warning about what was to come through my intrepidation and genuine fear for their safety. I now believe through scrying they ascertained the barons plan using me and, the keeps layout and defences which I had seen and knew. But I reiterate once more, the sacking of that doomed keep was not my intention or doing.
Of course, not knowing what to do next, I took my things and left in short order, looting nothing in the process from that damned place
Now, would you most kindly remove these shackles good sir.

[Fume]

You know, a great sage once told me that in order to move forward, one may first need to go back. Upon reflection, I wonder now what became of that crazy little gnome and his inventions. But that is irrelevent save for the fact that his council on that day now appears to be relevent here.

So, the keep which I abandoned all those years ago still sits in quiet ruin. Overgrown and crumbling, infested with monsters, and the surrounding grounds cursed with pestilence and putrid waters. Well, I can declare without reservation that none of that malice was any of my doing. In fact, I would offer to you that perhaps through his actions it was the doing of the previously resident baron, who had foolishly declared war on the forest folk and spirits which reside there.

This thing that has become of that doomed keep is nothing I could assist you with to be sure. Such things are usually the work of powerfull ancient rituals, lost to normal folk such as you and I, as I understand it.
But perhaps I may offer some insight into what it is that could perhaps cleanse that cursed place of the vile magic which currently resides there as it seems this is your ultimate goal in effecting my incarceration and interrogation.

Perhaps your inquiry should shift from the what it is, to the why it is. If as they say, you ask me, and my understanding by this most formal interrogation is that you most definately are, asking me, I would put to you that what you are dealing with here is a kind of, natural wall if you will. A barrier, a line in the sand.
What was once one of your bastions of defence, made staging area to attack the forestfolk by the now late baron, has been remade, into a bastion of defence for the forest. To keep your, well, our kind away from pilfering and further assailing it.

That being the case, I doubt vehemently that some simple sword and sorcery focused on a certain aspect of the weave will eradicate this most festering issue any time, soon. If it were upon me to resolve this, I would perhaps seek to reconcile and make peace with the forest folk who were attacked for no other reason then overt greed and bastardry on the part of our most esteemed baron. Convince them that this barrier is no longer neccesary and perhaps they may cleanse those lands of the curse that lingers there, allowing the common folk to once more live on it.
Of course, it is as they say, a longshot, but, in my opinion your best chance if you seek to repopulate that old keep.
And now inevitably comes the part once you have gesticulated over all this, where as a matter of recourse you proposition me for my help with petitioning the forest folk in return for my freedom.
To that I say to you my most esteemed captor, in none other then a completely salutary manner,  eat a bug.