Fletcher's Down
Felben holds tight to the reins as the wagon trods through a ruff section of trail. He starts to excitedly speak of the tail of Fletcher’s down. ”Long, long ago in a galaxy far far away …. Ohh wait that’s a different tail.” The old dwarf blushes a bit as he gets off to an exciting start with the wrong story. ”Where was I? Ohh yes … Long ago when the High Forest stretched from its present location all the way to the Spine of the World, a blanket of trees covered as far as the eye could see. These lands were far more wild than they are these days. Felbarr was but a small encampment and the boys down in Sundabar hadn’t even erected a workshop yet. Back then the elves held sway over the land, working with dwarves and the rare human only when they must. That was until Hell came down from the mountain. Something deep within the mountains here began to stir. Ravened beast of all kinds swarmed from the foothills into the valleys below. Beast that were twisted and torn from their original states, many of them with grotesque features that frighten the mind even to think about. They cowered through the forest destroying all in their path. Many of the elves were forced to flea their forest homes, other less fortunate ones made the forest their final rest. The tormenting beast pushed further into the forest, their vile evilness causing odd changes to the forest life around them. Much of the forest began to blight. Trees would loose their leaves mid summer and by fall they had turned a horrid black. Forest creatures of all kinds were either destroyed or transformed into twisted images of their former selves, left to haunt the surrounding country. This unnatural blight went on for what some say to be a hundred years, always growing stronger and more grotesque, expanding its vile clutches to the surrounding lands. Many elves and dwarves alike were forced further and further west or underground as the vile forest stretched and grew. Hope seemed to be lost, the mightiest of mages and the best of priest could do nothing to slow, let alone stop the blight. Even bands of powerful adventurers, such as yourselves, went into the woods in an attempt to cleanse, they too failed.” Rain continues to fall with the occasional thunderclap here and there as the company rounds a corner of the trail and makes their way up a steep incline. Reaching the top of the incline you look down into the valley and across to Fletcher’s Down. ”There she is. The Down.” Felben points as the forest comes into view below. He then continues on with his story. ”The hopelessness went on and on they say. Until one day when a human barbarian, known only as Fletcher magically appeared. The legend claims that Fletcher appeared on the River Rauvin, they say he walked on water and flew through the winds. No one knows why he came, but they do know what he did. Supposedly Fletcher marched his way up the rivers until he came to what is now Fletcher’s Down. Ya see Fletcher’s Down was the nexus of the evil power; some claim that an evil temple devoted to the Devils of the Nine Hells was erected there. Fletcher marched into the blighted lands and destroyed the temple along with its inhabitants. This action did not go unnoticed to the demons, for they sent an avatar of evil to champion and destroy Fletcher. Legend states that the demon was a twisted half snake half bird like creature that fought with amazing ferocity. It appeared right before Fletcher just as he destroyed the temple. It is said that a battle of epic proportions took place at that time. The battle raged on for days, much of the land was destroyed in the pursuing fight. The final blow is said to have taken both of their lives in a mighty explosion. The explosion spread Fletcher’s ashes over the present day Down. The trees in that area immediately grew out of their blight and back to the former beauty. The trees here are now magically enchanted against fire and all blights. The trees cannot be destroyed. They say that Fletcher’s life essence feeds them still, keeping them warm and green during the winter months, and making the bark hard and tuff, so that an axe blade breaks upon them. The rest of the forest slowly died away taking the blight with it, and leaving the High forest close to it’s present day location. Now the Vale is how you see it, with the massive forest gone leaving behind small groves here and there, but the majesty of the forest is now little of its former glory. Supposedly remnants of the powerful temple still lie somewhere within the Down, some of its secrets still in place, probably evil and vile secrets, but secrets none the less. There is also a small clearing, which is now sacred to worshipers of Meliki, located in the down, it is said to be Fletcher’s final resting place. And there ya have it, the Tail of Fletcher’s Down. Take it for what you will.” He finishes his tail as the group approaches the Down. ”We are just about there. We are getting close to the clearing. Now don’t let the story get you complacent. There are still dangers in these woods. Fletcher or no Fletcher.”
5:00pm 5th of Fading
OoC: The dwarves plan on camping the night in the clearing. They will help with the watch, but you had better set your own. As well as take care of any other actions that you see fit.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:37, Sat 03 Dec 2005.
