This is the first installment of character history for Jerren Forestborn. It is definitely dark. I feel that it fits with the history of the campaign and the new setting.
The title comes from the fact that there is always a price to pay for invoking dark powers. Sadly, it isn't always the invoker that pays the price.
There is a price to be paid
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EvilPyrate
- Dasarian
- Posts: 156
- Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 9:29 pm
- Location: DFW Texas
- Contact:
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EvilPyrate
- Dasarian
- Posts: 156
- Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 9:29 pm
- Location: DFW Texas
- Contact:
Chapter 1
He bolts upright to the sound of a scream. The woman in the bed beside him is gripping the blankets in terror, her eyes wide open and staring at nothing. He wraps his arms around her protectively.
“It’s going to be all right. You’re with me in our house.”
She focuses on him and begins to sob. “Jonas, we have to talk.” He murmurs a reply. “Can’t it wait till morning?” “It’s waited too long already,” she says, trying to calm herself. “The child I’m carrying – I’m terrified that it’s something awful.”
He shakes himself more fully awake, his tone becomes apprehensive. “What do you mean, Mara? This is going to be our firstborn, a strong boy to take over this farm when we’re gone. Nothing could be more wonderful.”
“You don’t know. You couldn’t know. I couldn’t tell you, it hurt too much. Jonas, I…” She drops her eyes in shame as her body is wracked by another sob. He begins to speak but she stops him. “These nightmares, every one of them is the same. I’m in bed giving birth. The baby is hideous: bright red skin, devil horns, and horrible pointed teeth. It kills the midwife and then turns to me and grins. I always wake up screaming.”
“Mara, I’m sure this happens to plenty of women. You’ve just been so worried about doing everything right that you’re giving yourself nightmares. That’s all. It couldn’t be anything else.”
“Oh Jon,” she says, as more tears roll down her face. “How I wish that could be the only answer. I wish that for more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.”
She had prayed to every god she could remember that she would never have to tell anyone. She had tried every day of her life for the last eight months to bury her anguish and shame, to be the bright young girl that she had been. Everyone had sensed it, even Jonas who she tried the hardest to hide it from.
She steeled herself for what she had to say. “Jonas, I don’t know if this is your son.” He rolled off the bed and stood with a look of shock, a hint of rage showing on the fringe of his features. “LET ME FINISH!” she cried, stopping any possible outburst from her confused husband. “I don’t even know if this is truly human. I didn’t want to tell you. I was shamed and hurt and scared. But the nightmares... They won't go away.” She sobbed again. Through slightly gritted teeth, he said, “Go on.” She composed herself again and continued. “It was just after our wedding. You had left to take the harvest to market in Lendose. I heard a commotion from the far side of the pond and thought that maybe some of the animals were being set on by a wolf or fox. I grabbed a shawl and took a strong staff. When I reached the orchard, I saw this…this thing.” She shuddered at the memory. “It was completely hairless, with horns and sharp teeth and claws… Oh gods, Jon, it…it…”
Her eyes glazed as she collapsed into tears, wrapping her arms around herself as she convulsed. As the realization of what his wife was actually telling him hit, tears began to run from Jonas’ eyes. He threw himself on the bed and cradled her in his arms. “Gods, hells…Mara, no…” He had no words. How could this be? How could his joy at being less than a month away from fatherhood be stripped away from him like this? How could this have happened to his wife? In just a few short minutes, his simple world had grown horns and fangs and was leering at him. He clung to Mara and wept with her until the two of them, exhausted, collapsed into restless sleep.
He bolts upright to the sound of a scream. The woman in the bed beside him is gripping the blankets in terror, her eyes wide open and staring at nothing. He wraps his arms around her protectively.
“It’s going to be all right. You’re with me in our house.”
She focuses on him and begins to sob. “Jonas, we have to talk.” He murmurs a reply. “Can’t it wait till morning?” “It’s waited too long already,” she says, trying to calm herself. “The child I’m carrying – I’m terrified that it’s something awful.”
He shakes himself more fully awake, his tone becomes apprehensive. “What do you mean, Mara? This is going to be our firstborn, a strong boy to take over this farm when we’re gone. Nothing could be more wonderful.”
“You don’t know. You couldn’t know. I couldn’t tell you, it hurt too much. Jonas, I…” She drops her eyes in shame as her body is wracked by another sob. He begins to speak but she stops him. “These nightmares, every one of them is the same. I’m in bed giving birth. The baby is hideous: bright red skin, devil horns, and horrible pointed teeth. It kills the midwife and then turns to me and grins. I always wake up screaming.”
“Mara, I’m sure this happens to plenty of women. You’ve just been so worried about doing everything right that you’re giving yourself nightmares. That’s all. It couldn’t be anything else.”
“Oh Jon,” she says, as more tears roll down her face. “How I wish that could be the only answer. I wish that for more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.”
She had prayed to every god she could remember that she would never have to tell anyone. She had tried every day of her life for the last eight months to bury her anguish and shame, to be the bright young girl that she had been. Everyone had sensed it, even Jonas who she tried the hardest to hide it from.
She steeled herself for what she had to say. “Jonas, I don’t know if this is your son.” He rolled off the bed and stood with a look of shock, a hint of rage showing on the fringe of his features. “LET ME FINISH!” she cried, stopping any possible outburst from her confused husband. “I don’t even know if this is truly human. I didn’t want to tell you. I was shamed and hurt and scared. But the nightmares... They won't go away.” She sobbed again. Through slightly gritted teeth, he said, “Go on.” She composed herself again and continued. “It was just after our wedding. You had left to take the harvest to market in Lendose. I heard a commotion from the far side of the pond and thought that maybe some of the animals were being set on by a wolf or fox. I grabbed a shawl and took a strong staff. When I reached the orchard, I saw this…this thing.” She shuddered at the memory. “It was completely hairless, with horns and sharp teeth and claws… Oh gods, Jon, it…it…”
Her eyes glazed as she collapsed into tears, wrapping her arms around herself as she convulsed. As the realization of what his wife was actually telling him hit, tears began to run from Jonas’ eyes. He threw himself on the bed and cradled her in his arms. “Gods, hells…Mara, no…” He had no words. How could this be? How could his joy at being less than a month away from fatherhood be stripped away from him like this? How could this have happened to his wife? In just a few short minutes, his simple world had grown horns and fangs and was leering at him. He clung to Mara and wept with her until the two of them, exhausted, collapsed into restless sleep.
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EvilPyrate
- Dasarian
- Posts: 156
- Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 9:29 pm
- Location: DFW Texas
- Contact:
nice mate.-
Lan al'Mandragoran
- Commoner
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 1:16 am
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BeyondRedemption
- Dasarian Scout
- Posts: 409
- Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:47 am
- Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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BeyondRedemption
- Dasarian Scout
- Posts: 409
- Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:47 am
- Location: Santa Cruz, CA