[ Character - Dearll's Campaign ]
??? : the Illithid Psionicist
The morning was young and bright. The sun shown bright and true, and the birds sang their
greetings to the dawn. The song may have been a cheerful one at any other time, but today
it fell upon deaf ears. All in the town were rapt in mourning or assembling in the town hall.
Every able body that the town could summon up was called forth for a war meeting.
Solemnly, Roderick the Bear made his way from his woodland hut nestled in a quiet grove in
the forest to the town hall. His armor, well oiled and worked from years of tender care
and having seen its own more than fair share of combat, made no sound, not even a squeak.
His Dwarven crafted war axe hung loosely in its sling at his right side, the hand axe he
claimed as a trophy from the Ogre, Mfett, tucked tightly into his belt, and the hand carved
oaken compound long bow, Whisper, given to him by the Elven Lord Quithintarras slung across
his back. Lastly his pack hung gently across his massive back. He traveled lightly today,
for his journey this day will not be long. With each step, he survey’s the surroundings,
and what he sees makes his giant heart crumble.
Last night, under the cover of darkness and the blanket of the new moon, a band of wicked
beasts swept into the town, laying siege and waste to anything and anyone that dared stand
in their way. For some, the shriek of the beasts stunning blast still rings in their ears.
For others, a long while will pass before they will be able to close their eyes without
seeing the hideous, nightmarish image of the tentacle faced creatures bearing down on them.
And for the lucky ones, they will never have to relive the nightmare, for they have
passed on to the afterlife.
When Roderick, or Bear as the townsfolk had come to call him, entered the town hall, he
took quick survey of his peers. Standing head and shoulders over the majority of those
in attendance, and nearly as wide as the blacksmith twice over, everyone notices his as
soon as he enters. Of those present, a few noteworthy individuals stood out plainly.
Everek Drugrass, Human Wizard and local magistrate stood beside his second in command,
Tyannia Switterlind, Elven Warrior and archer of some renown. Stepping up boldly and
stoutly to stand beside Bear was Thordain the Small, Dwarven Weapons Master and best
friend of Bear. His name is a nickname given to him from the townsfolk due to the fact
that he and Bear are rarely parted, and seeing them walk together is a humorous sight.
After a few moments, Everek called for silence and order so they might begin. The town’s
mayor, Annolan Willith, stepped forward to the center of the room. He spoke boldly,
proudly. His words were poetic and just, meant to inspire the townsfolk to take up arms
and destroy the vermin that had struck out at the town. He may as well have been talking
to the deaf. None within heard his words over their already boiling rage. His speech to
these people was like throwing a piece of kindling into a roaring blaze. It had no
noticeable effect. The people of Dalnek were ready for vengeance.
And vengeance, they would have. Bear and Thordain and a few of Dalneks best trackers
led the angry mob through the forest, following the almost imperceptible trail of broken
twigs and shifted brush. After only a mile or two they found a cave, almost completely
hidden by overgrowth. The vast majority of the mob stoked torches and lit lanterns and
pressed onward into the darkness beyond. Bear, ‘Dain, and a few others stayed outside
to search the surrounding area for anything else hidden or overlooked before.
It was then, during that period of exploration that Bear and ‘Dain found the hidden
outcropping of rock. Within, they found what would change one of their lives forever
and end the life of the other. Inside, they found a Mindflayer. Alone, seemingly
defenseless, they engaged.
The beasts power was unmatched, its ferocity a kind neither attacker was fully prepared
for. They both quickly fell victim to the creature’s mental attack which left them
stunned and unable to act. While he lay there against the wall of the outcropping,
Bear was witness to a nightmare he has never forgotten. He had to watch while the beast
spread its four large tentacles, its beak like mouth opened in longing anticipation.
Slowly, it wrapped its tentacles around Thordains head. Bear could hear a loud cracking
sound as Thordains body twitched a few quick times in convulsions, and then fell
lifeless. The beast, audibly sucking and slurping ‘Dains brains and bodily fluids out
of his head, momentarily forgot about Bear being just beside him and he began to turn
his back to him, lost in his meal. Just then, Bears mind cleared and he came fully
back to the moment. Reaching out and grasping the closest weapon he could, with the
power and rage of the animal for which he is named, Bear lashed out at the creature.
He never knew what hit him. The blade of the Great Dwarven War Axe slid cleanly through
the beast’s neck severing muscle and bone. The body fell lifelessly to one side, and
‘Dain, the head of the Illithid still attached to his own head, fell limp and lifeless
to the floor. Bear did not have a chance to mourn though, for from the corner of his
eye, just on the edge of his vision, he saw something move. Hefting Thordains weapon
high above his head, Bear lunges towards the movement. What he saw melted his resolve
and he was immediately filled with compassion. There, wrapped crudely in rags, was a
newborn Mindflayer, yet unmolded and untouched by the evil that was its nature.
Believing that this creature could be raised to serve the light rather than the
darkness, Bear took the child to his home and hid him within. Bear met the rest of
the townsfolk as they were coming out of the tunnel that led into the earth. They
carried with them their dead, and trophies of the creature that fell beneath them.
12 heads in all were hauled from the cavern.
The town held a mass burial and wake for those fallen to the Mindflayers. Thordain
was entombed within the outcropping in which he died. It is what he would have
wanted. Go back to the earth from which he was spawned. The cavern that lead down
into the belly of the world was collapsed and never though of again. The heads of
the slain beasts were set atop poles and set around the forest in a warning to others
of their kind, but after a short time, the disintegrated into dust.
Bear named his new friend Thordain in memory of his fallen companion. He knew that
if the townsfolk ever learned of the existence Thor (as he had begun calling him),
they would not take it well. Thor would be killed, and he would be run out of the
area, if not worse. So, Bear packed up all of his possessions, tucked Thor into an
empty water barrel, sealed it up and set off deep into the forest to find a new
place away from everyone else so that they could live in peace. He told no one of
his going, and knew well how to cover his tracks to keep anyone from following him.
They would not be found.
There, Bear and Thor lived in peace and quiet for many years. Thor began to develop
skills and talents that Bear had never before experienced. Though he was of an
inherently evil bloodline, Thor did not show any of the signs or qualities that
would normally be attributed with his race. Other than being Illithid, he grew up
as a typical young boy into a typical young man. Well, typical for some, anything
but typical for others. As he got older, his talents grew and grew. Bear had no help
or guidance that he could offer to Thor in this stage of his development, but what
he lacked in knowledge, Bear more than made up for in love and tenderness.
This is where or story begins. Where past becomes present, history becomes future.
Here is where the lives of Thor and Bear are going to be again forever changed.
This time however, the stacks are different. Let us see just what will happen, what
events will transpire, and most importantly, what destiny lies in store for young
Thor. His road will be one not easily traveled.
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