The Fate of Calés Hunedora

The Beginning of a Struggle

"We have need of your aid, the four of you. Two of our leaders, Lyre and Kyza, have gone missing along with a large number of our hunters and warriors on a routine patrol. We cannot send anyone more to search for them: those who remain have fallen to a swath of sickness."
— Floure, the Conducă Namur (tiger leader) of Calés Hunedora

Hunedora is in a state of panic and disaster. Many of their capable warriors and hunters, including two of the Conducă, Lyre and Kyza, have gone missing, leaving Floure the sole leader of the remnants of Hunedora. Recognizing the current weakness of her community, she sends a request for aid and reinforcement to three allied communities nearby. Of these three, two respond: the communities of Pelagia and Docilis, sending their most capable watchman and mage each, respectively. Combined with the right hand woman and left hand man to the leadership of Hunedora, these four would combine their might to turn the tides, overturning a destructive future that would befall Hunedora.

An Introduction

Our four heroes are:

Brigitte Niasdottir, the bloodthirsty barbarian and right hand woman to the leadership of Hunedora, considered a candidate to succeed Skirmir as the next Diondair-Fjarăformă of their community. She was first recorded having been seen overseeing the remaining two hunters of Hunedora and their training, making sure they are ready for any possible threat of attack.
Imogen Orsos, the eccentric druid of Docilis come to aid the predicament at Hunedora, considered a skilled practitioner in the art of spellcasting, wildshaping, and alternative medicine. She was first seen entertaining the children of Hunedora with her feats of flower growth and molding of earth.
Mu Aqqibat the Watcher, the willful monk and Eternal Watchmer of Pelagia, considered a swift terror from the skies on the battlefield, and a harsh, disciplined instructor to those not ready for battle. He was first seen calming the temper of a young firebrand by the name of Sairginn, who wished to seek out the missing warriors himself.
Reyhan Momin, the just paladin and left hand man to the leadership of Hunedora, considered an antithesis to Hunedora's brutal tendencies, and the moral guardian to its leadership. He was first seen tending to the wounded and sick of Hunedora alongside an assistant of Moire, the dryad herbalist of Hunedora.

Briefings and an Ill Omen

"You have awakened me, Floure, and for what? To gaze upon the sorry state of the community that I've deigned to provide my blessing? Foolish."
— The spectre of Fenris, the worshipped aspect of primal savagery to Byakko, addressing the remaining leader of Hunedora.

The four heroes were called to the central meeting hall of Hunedora, where they were met with Floure, Skirmir, the current defender of Hunedora, and Shanthor, the Hatari and ritual master of the community. Here they discussed various topics:

The timeline of the warriors' disappearance and the swath of sickness over the remaining hunters.
- The warriors and hunters of Hunedora, alongside Lyre and Kyza, went on a patrol since 2 hours prior to the meeting before going dark.
- The remnants of the hunters had been involved in a skirmish the prior day, where they had been beset by a volley of arrows, before going sick in the current day.
Those who were incapable of defending themselves needed a plan, incase the missing Hunedorans were truly captured, missing, or something worse.
- Shanthor wished to keep the people calm, await the return of the warriors and trust in the four to ensure this.
- Skirmir would wish to train those who were still somewhat capable, wanting to fervently defend their home from any possible Aquitani raid.
- Floure's plan was to assume they would not return and prepare the people for evacuation into Pelagia. This was the plan the four agreed upon.
Floure had invited the party to participate in a ritual to ask for Fenris' blessing, which the party agreed to overlook.

Following this brief meeting, the four followed Floure and Shanthor to the ritual grounds.

The druids of Hunedora lay down various offerings at an altar: fresh meat, tribal herbs, the consecrated fangs of previous leaders, and an offering of blood from Shanthor.
Shanthor formshifts into a wolf, looking up into the sky and howling into the air, beseeching Fenris to come down.
Floure moves forward, holding her hands forward, before suddenly being surrounded in a blood-red aura, where waves of energy pulse from her.

The completion of the summoning ritual summons the spectral white form of Fenris, the aspect of savagery and power of the tiger god Byakko. Fenris is not pleased at the state Hunedora is in, and rebukes Floure for her weakness. He foretells of a coming disaster that will strike Hunedora, if the four heroes gathered are not able to succeed in their mission. The tiger god's aspect leaves the presence of all those gathered, and Floure, in her shame, resolves to do all she can to save the people of Hunedora, sending the four to prepare for their journey out.

Search Preparations

"Would this man give his life for Hunedora?"
— Mu Aqqibat, upon being confronted with the injured hunt leader of the injured hunters.

The four stop by the field infirmary, where Moire has returned to tending to the patients.
- The four were able to assume that the barrage of arrows that injured these hunters were a probable cause for their eventual sickness.
- Mu infused the life essence of the hunt leader with his own ki, ensuring that he would be stabilized for the unknown sickness.
- Reyhan was given a pair of titanium rings for one of his spells, Warding Bond.
- The four were given various healing and mana potions, choosing to leave the spell scrolls to the people.
The four move to the blacksmith, where they were given spiked nets by the forgemaster.
Finally, the four move to the northern entrance, where a waiting Sairginn eagerly asks for their answer.
- Mu decides to take Sairginn under his wing, allowing him to come in their journey.
- Reyhan casts a spell, searching the treeline for his faithful companion: the Peryton. The two lock antlers, communicating Reyhan's mission to the steed in Celestial.

With the preparations out of the way, the four leave for the perimeter of the community maintained within Gjoll Forest...

The Search for the Missing Hunedorans

Patrolling the Perimeter

"This is strange. Our way is not to strip the animals during a hunt, but after we have returned."
— ]A comment by Sairginn, upon seeing the stripped carcasses while searching for signs of the missing Hunedorans.

The party and Sairginn begin their search within their half-mile perimeter of Gjoll Forest.

Brigitte and Mu decide to search along the western half of the perimeter.
Reyhan and Sairginn take the eastern side.
Imogen wildshapes into a giant eagle, flying just above the treeline to scout from above.

It is through this search that they uncover several unusual signs of what has happened to the missing Hunedorans:

There were several signs of battle that had been concluded, but with no bodies in sight.
Several carcasses of forest denizens were discovered, stripped clean to the bone.
Small forest animals and birds were fleeing from some sort of predator, rather than aimlessly wandering around.
A committee of vultures were flying south of the community, flying away from some secluded opening within the forest.
Blood trails curving towards the south, as if something was dragged there.

Eventually, the four happened upon the small clearing where every clue seemed to point towards.

The Battle Against Taliyans driven Feral

"Who is this? This does not look like one of us."
— Brigitte, upon discovering a clammy, long-dead body floating in a river.

Upon arriving at this giant forest clearing, they discover an encampment and ancient buildings repurposed, suggesting that someone had clearly been camping within their territory. Complex rope traps and hunting traps, an abandoned tent, weapons, and tools familiar and unfamiliar, and lit bonfires and braziers indicated that whoever camped here was of a more advanced people. But who would these be?

Reyhan trips a rope trap, becoming wrapped up with efficiency beyond any trap they could make.
Mu and Imogen scout out the place from above, noting a few buildings and notable spots.
Brigitte disarms traps and helps with the search, with Sairginn following closely behind.

The five eventually discover a body floating down the river, having been there for at least a few days, whose race was unclear to the taliyans. Was there a new people that had invaded their territory. Regardless, they press on, discovering a trail of blood leading to another body, mauled and displayed grotesquely upon a tree stump. Before Brigitte could retrieve this body... She and the party were beset upon the mutated Vânător, eyes glazed in a blood red color and a laguz body with features several times larger and more deadly than normal to their people. With a piercing, paralyzing roar... The battle begins, and the party are beset upon by several taliyans.

During the battle, several signs pointed to the fact that these taliyans were not as they once were:
- The taliyans were incapable of speaking in their native language, communicating purely through roars, screeching, and other animalistic noises.
- Their eyes were bloodshot, and they fought with a ferocity that was unsustainable.
- Their battle capabilities were enhanced beyond natural means.
The party decide to adopt a merciful approach... for the most part.
- Reyhan and Mu do their best to keep the feral taliyans alive.
- Brigitte, after being enhanced by an Enlarge spell by Imogen, ends up swallowing a wolf alive.
- Imogen, empowered after shifting into Brontosaurus, ends up punting another wolf, causing it to careen straight into a set of trees, shattering its bones upon impact. This causes her to shift back to beorc out of shock.
During the fight, Reyhan perceives an exclamation, coming from a bundle of trees to the northwest of their battle.
The battle concludes with a majority of the taliyans captured with ropes and nets, knocked out.

First Contact with the Marseillians

"We do not need to fight. Lower your weapons, and we can settle this peacefully."
— Reyhan, after a tense first encounter with the newcomers: the Marseillians.

Following the battle with the feral taliyans, Reyhan decides to follow up on that exclamation he had heard. On the way on his peryton mount, a crack resounded throughout the air, which resulted in Reyhan having to take the blow meant for his peryton. Later, the party would identify that this was a gunshot: the first of many they would undoubtedly hear throughout their long lives. Charging forward, Reyhan happens upon a small, diminutive humanoid dressed in free-flowing robes, and before he could do anything about this discovery, several more humanoids came out of the treeline to defend their companion.

A red-skinned demonic humanoid, dressed in a sailor's outfit and wielding a single dagger.
A green-armored archer, looking the most similar to the taliyans' kind amongst the newcomers.
The aforementioned diminutive humanoid, with a grasp for magic.
Another diminutive humanoid with sharper ears, decked out in unknown tech, including the firearm that shot towards Reyhan.
A sharp-eared humanoid wielding a greataxe, with an irrational fear and hatred towards the party.
A proud, defender dragon-like humanoid, restraining the hateful one from doing anything too rash.

Following a tense first contact situation, eventually both sides were able to reach a compromise after discovering that they were capable of speaking the same language (Common). It was here where they discovered the identities and purpose of these six injured humanoids:

The party of six consisted of the following: Kairos, the red-skinned tiefling navigator, Mathias Badeaux, the archer human, Julien Yenlos, the halfling mage, Dossa Frère, the gnome artificer, Alessandra Fournier, the vengeful elven warrior, and Flavius Mornaar, the dragonborn warrior.
The six were sent by their people to scout out this continent that they called Providence.
There used to be more of them, and they were beset upon by taliyans that matched the behavior of these taliyans that the party had just fought.
Their base of operations was to the south.
They knew of the Aquitani, but hadn't had a name for them. They only know that their higher-ups are the ones who have had contact with them.

This exchange of information revealed many things to the party of five, and in order to ensure that the community was informed of this new development, the four heroes decided to send Sairginn ahead to the community to warn Floure and the other remaining Hunedorans. He claimed that he would be back in 30 minutes, and the party decide to rest with the Marseillians while awaiting him. 1 hour passed, and he hadn't returned.

The Turning Point: The Community or the Fort

"I will not stand by idly and talk while my home is being surrounded by those Aquitani! I will return to my home, and you can stay here and debate!"
— Reyhan's assertion following the presentation of new, crucial information.

During the rest, Brigitte and Reyhan become privy to new information that decides their next course of action:

Brigitte, with her Commune with Nature ritual, finds that towards the northwest, out of the Gjoll forest, there was a mass of humanoid life forces that included the familiar life signature of the taliyans, and that number was slowly depleting.
Reyhan is the receptor of a message from Moire by the Sending spell. This informs him that Hunedora was currently being surrounded by an Aquitani raiding party.

The four gather together to debate on which decision is the right one, as well as what their decision would be regarding the Marseillians they had under their care. Unsatisfied by the level of urgency in the party's decision-making, decides to rush forward to his community's defense with Brigitte in tow. Imogen and Mu are left to deal with the Marseillians. They decide that they cannot afford to let the Marseillians return to their base on their own, and decide to coerce them into coming to Hunedora's defense. Many look apprehensive to the idea, but they end up joining after Kairos rallies his five companions. Little did they know, they had forgotten to account for the captured, still very much alive feral taliyans.

An Aquitani Deal: Delivery to Point Un

"Maybe you should learn some common sense from your fellow taliyan."
— Honey, the tabaxi negotiator, addressing Brigitte as she growls towards him.

Reyhan and Brigitte arrived at Hunedora from the southern side of the community, where, strangely, there were very few signs of the chaos of battle or even any signs of struggle. The atmosphere was tense and testy, but it wasn't inflammatory. The duo decide to scout out the area:

Brigitte decides to scout out the central area of Hunedora, where she discovers:
- Most of the Hunedorans managed to successfully evacuate safely, as most of the homes were vacated.
- The Aquitani were in a stalemate with the remaining Hunedorans, where the main negotiator, a tabaxi dressed formally and equipped with unfamiliar hardware by the name of Honey, was deigning to ask a favor of the taliyans in exchange for their safety.
- There were many more Aquitani than was obvious on the surface.
Reyhan discovers a tabaxi mage, a woman by the name of Snowdrop, hesitantly holding the Hunedoran children hostage.
- She, quote, "would not do anything that she would regret."
- Her grip on her equipment was quite shaky, and she wasn't making any casting motions.
- Reyhan manages to assure her that they would not do anything to her, if she keeps her word that she would not attack the children.

Eventually, the two were called to the center, where Honey laid out his group's intentions: the taliyans would serve as a messenger to the Marseillians camped out in the south with a sealed letter, and in exchange, they would let the Hunedoran community go free. The two, alongside Floure, debated on whether this was the right decision, especially since the negotiator had multiple failsafes to ensure what he wanted was fulfilled. After some tense negotiation, the two agreed to take the letter to the south. Other notable happenings:

Imogen and Mu arrive soon after with the Marseillians in tow, but after the situation proves to be too dire to risk their safety, Mu decides to let them go and return to their base.
Imogen meets the same mage as Reyhan, with the added insight that she manages to decipher that the mage was not doing this of her own volition, but was being coerced into this.
The party, while on the way to the southern base, discover that the taliyans that they had captured had broken free of their binds. In addition, they were unable to locate the scouting party of six on the way to their base.

Point Un: A New People

"Chaplain Zain always used to do that: whenever service was done at the chapel, he would invite the needy inside for whatever needs they needed fulfilled."
— Danforth, a Marseillian watch captain, addressing the four heroes.

The four eventually arrive at the southern base called Point Un, where they are apprehended and held at the front gate by a small battalion of watchmen and women wielding rifles and other unfamiliar tech. Through some tense negotiation, the party reveals who they are, what their purpose for visiting is, and they also agree to deposit their weapons for safekeeping. The party is allowed to enter, and they are led by the captain of these watchmen: a man by the name of Danforth. The party is led all the way to the central hall in his care. Here, they learn more of the people they find themselves among:

There were more than just the six races of the scouting party: half orcs, half elves, and dwarves were also present among them.
They were much more advanced than the taliyans, bearing technology that is not only mechanized but uses various metals and minerals in their construction, including a look into their firearms.
Regarding the scouting party, there used to be 20 of them in that party.

As they arrived at the central hall, they meet the de facto leader of the Marseillians at this base by proxy: a kindly older gentleman by the name of Chaplain Zain. The party delivers the letter to the chaplain, and in doing so, explained their predicament with the Aquitani. He sympathizes with the party on their predicament, and decide to perform an exchange: he would provide a proof that he received the letter, and that the Aquitani are to leave the taliyans alone, and the party would provide proof that the taliyans were here, and that they would come later on to negotiate. This would later be known in taliyan history as one of the first recorded political agreements between the taliyans and the future Verdanians. Following this exchange, the chaplain invited the party to some of their leftover scraps and parts of tech as a sign of goodwill. Heading over to the pile of leftover items, Reyhan manages to procure a piece of gear-assisted machinery that tells the time, revealing even more concepts of the Marseillians and the advancements they had made. It is here where Reyhan manages to collect a diamond for one of his spells. The party mingle with Danforth, where he mentions that he had already been taken following an attempt by Brigitte to take him as her warrior-husband. The party, after fiddling and trying to learn more about the watch, finally decide to return to Hunedora with the news...

Return to Hunedora

The four heroes return to Hunedora, bearing the agreement signed by Chaplain Zain. They find that both sides were awaiting their return, with several Aquitani having been discovered in hiding. However, upon being presented with the agreement, Honey does several things:

Honey calls off all the Aquitani and orders them to return home, proving that he would not go back on his word.
He offers the party the location of the taliyans unprompted, not only revealing that they were the ones to capture the missing Hunedorans, but also confirming that Brigitte's earlier spell was indeed correct.

The location of the captured Hunedorans was at an abandoned fort to the northwest of the community, just outside of Gjoll Forest. Honey soon leaves. Before the party could discuss this new development any further, Snowdrop the mage offers herself to the taliyans as forgiveness for her having to threaten the children, before providing them her magic necklace, as well as revealing that her family had been threatened, and that in exchange for their safety, she had to accompany this raiding party. The party now had one final decision to make: would they attempt to rescue their people from the clutches of the Aquitani, threatening the peace that they were able to establish for their community, or would they search for the missing Marseillians and forge a bond with the newcomers to the continent? After some deliberation, the party decides that after a rest, they would head northwest to attempt a rescue. But Reyhan had different plans.

Final Battle at the Northwestern Fort

"I said I would save your community. You are not part of that deal. Therefore, I would like to ask you to kindly die."
— Honey, revealing to Reyhan his true intent for the party of four.

Reyhan and his trusty peryton steed, while the others were resting, traveled to the northwestern fort alone, intent on scouting the place out ahead. As he arrived at the crumbling fort and moved to its center, he found out the truth behind the fort's function: a huge chimera trapped in the center within a massive cage, with one of its heads belonging to one of their former leaders. Then, in a sequence of events:

Several Aquitani soldiers poured out from the towers of the watchtower, poised and ready to gang up upon the lone taliyan.
Honey appeared from within the fort's interior, on his heavily-armored centaur escort, revealing to Reyhan that this was all designed to trap whoever deigned to rescue their companions.

Reyhan, defiant to the end, appealed to the Aquitani soldiers' sense of honor and peace, telling that the peace that they had achieved would be wasted, trying to plant the seeds of doubt within their minds. But they so far remained resolute. The battle begins as Reyhan is outnumbered and outgunned. He decides to send his Peryton away in one final gesture, sparing the peryton form the wrath of the Aquitani.

Reyhan receives a barrage of attacks from all sides: from frontline warriors and berserkers restraining him to one spot, and with archers pinning him down with their long range volleys. He sustained a massive amount of damage.
He would not give in, however. Removing the diamond from the watch and crushing it, he surrounded himself in a stone casing, turning the attacks against him and making them weakened in comparison.

Still, it was a losing battle. Reyhan would not survive the fury of a small army, and the chimera that he would soon face would reduce him to ash if he did not receive any help. But help soon came.

Brigitte came as a wolf laguz, deftly climbing atop the walls of the fort and ripping through the ranks of archers perched atop.
Mu flew upwards towards the walls close to Reyhan, knocking over several hidden rogues and hunters over the edge.
Imogen cast a wall of flame all around Reyhan, incinerating and causing serious damage to the frontliners surrounding him.

More and more reinforcements came, but Reyhan's will remained strong and resolute. Looking to his god for power, Fenris deemed it fit to provide him his power for one last time, causing the fury of the wolf god to flow through him. This resulted in a change in one of his combatants: a leonin veteran by the name of Dozla. Reyhan caused him to doubt his purpose in this fight due to his speech and rhetoric combined with the power flowing through him, before eventually completely succeeding in making him switch sides.

The chimera's brute strength and fire breath threatened all sides, as it was mindless and in control from no one except itself. Dozla would attempt to convince those still living to focus on the chimera rather than on the taliyans.
Reyhan, in the middle of the battlefield, shone brightly with the use of a Crusader's Mantle spell, telling all to come to him for the power to turn the tide of battle.
Brigitte struggled against the chimera alone, even ending up within its grasp for crucial seconds before overcoming its strength with her own power.
Mu aided Dozla in his crusade, transporting him to the remaining archers to convince them to turn.
Imogen shifted into a Brontosaurus, seriously threatening the chimera with her own sheer size and strength.
Dozla, in his journey, convinced his minotaur cleric companion, Sartus, as well as the archers, to join the battle. Unfortunately, he was betrayed at the end by a tabaxi rogue, and he was forced to take the tabaxi with him off the side of the walls.

The battle raged on and on with the combined might of the two opposing peoples against the terror of the mutant chimera, culminating in a move where the chimera grasped onto Mu, before slamming him into the ground from up high and dragging him across the whole battlefield. But Reyhan had an answer. As the chimera bore down on the Pelagian, he saw his opportunity. He ran atop the chimera's back, infusing his lance with thunderous energy. He positioned himself atop the chimera's lion head, and with one precise strike, Reyhan stabbed downwards, causing the air all around the fort to resound with the roar of Fenris, laying to rest the raging chimera and ending its rampage. The battle was concluded.

The Conclusion

The battle was won, and the four heroes finally had answers. Reyhan's peryton returned from Hunedora with Floure in tow.

Dozla returned to the fort following his tussle with the tabaxi rogue, heavily injured. Imogen attempted to heal him, but he refused. He's lived a good life, worthy of honor. This was his end.
- Sartus finds out about his friend's death, and decides this is a turning point in his life. He swears to join the taliyans and fight his own people; it's what Dozla would've done.
Mu, after suffering that vicious onslaught of attacks from the chimera, feels his body is broken. His body may recover someday, but his wings are no more. The Eternal Watcher would no longer fly from here on out.
Floure relays to the party that the evacuations were complete, and that Hunedora was now moving towards the north towards Pelagia for sanctuary. Moire was giving the injured, sick taliyans their last rites before they left.
The five discover several needles, with leftover contents of blood red liquid in them: the same shade as the eyes of the feral taliyans. Their people had been experimented upon with a new poison. They swore to find a cure to what would be called the Feral Plague.