Ziri Basha and the Circle of Swords
Played on January 15, 2018
14 Ches, The Year of Twelve Warnings (1494 DR)
Neverwinter Wood, The Sword Coast
Humboldt, the arch druid and Speaker who led the half-dozen druids and other members of the druidic order known as the Circle of Swords, stepped out into the clearing. He was joined by the dryad Galya, who stepped out of a nearby oak tree growing near a shallow stream.
“She’s late,” Galya said. “Perhaps taking on an aspirant druid into the Circle of Swords was a mistake. In times like these, we need people with experience to undertake our tasks.”
Humboldt looked at Galya. Her skin resembled that of the oak tree she called home. Leaves adorned her body, covering it like a dress would cover a young maiden’s form. Humboldt remembered first meeting Galya over seven decades back, when he too was but a young aspirant; a druid who had just completed his initial training. Despite knowing Galya that long, the dryad looked exactly the same she did when he first met her. He, however, had aged considerably since their first meeting.
“What we need is someone exactly like this young aspirant,” Humboldt said. “She’s ready. She has been trained well.”
***
After meeting Humboldt and Galya, Ziri Basha, an aspirant druid of the Circle of Swords, had been tasked with tracking down Belak the Outcast. She couldn’t believe they chose her among all the other young druids.
And her first assignment involved finding a ranking member of the order who has disappeared.
Belak was a member of the druid order based in Neverwinter Wood. He left twelve years ago for Oakhurst, a small village at the edge of the great forest. It was thought Belak was drawn to a buried citadel outside of Oakhurst twelve years ago, following stories of oddly enchanted fruits to their source, the Gulthias Tree.
It was rumored that a fruit from the Gulthias Tree, when eaten, would enhance the eater’s vigor, health, and life. However, the druid order believed Belak’s interest in the tree’s fruits relates to Belak’s thirst for eternal life.
Fearing Belak may have turned into a dark druid, one who cares more about personal power than the balance of nature, the Circle of Swords chose to send Ziri Basha to Oakhurst and discover what happened to Belak the Outcast.
Ziri gathered her equipment and prepared for what could be a long trip. The directions to the village of Oakhurst was simple enough.
Humboldt, who had been a mentor of Ziri’s, even gave her a future quest to eliminate the young green dragon, Venomfang. Humboldt said the dragon resided in the ruins of Thundertree at the edge of the wood towards the city of Neverwinter. For years, the young dragon have slaughtered travelers venturing near the ruins and have hunting many of the animals near its lair.
Humboldt acknowledged that Ziri wasn’t yet skilled enough to take on a dragon, even a young one. But in time, she would gain in experience.
“When you are ready, you will know,” Humboldt said to Ziri. “And when that time comes, seek the dragon and either kill it or drive it out of Neverwinter.”
Ziri wondered if she would ever be skilled enough to challenge a dragon, one of the most powerful creatures in all of Toril. But that would have to wait. For now, finding Belak the Outcast would have to be her priority.
Taking one last look at her home, Ziri took her first step into a great adventure.
Plot type
Chapter
Parent Plot
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