Zor'ahn the Dark Ranger

Zor'ahn, known to most as the Dark Ranger, sat on the edge of his bed in the dimly-lit room above the Thirsty Alpaca Tavern; the soft creak of the wooden frame the only sound in the stillness. The town of Otari lay quiet beneath the moonless sky, and the flickering candlelight cast wavering shadows on the rough-hewn walls. His long dark hair spilled past his shoulders, obscuring his pale alabaster face. His amber eyes, glinting with an eerie feline luminescence, stared at the small pile of twisted roots and verdant branches on the floor before him. He had been in Otari for what seemed like an eternity, though in truth, it had been only a matter of months. The townsfolk had grown used to his presence, yet most kept their distance, sensing the otherworldly aura that clung to him like a second skin.
The room was filled with the earthy scent of the Plane of Wood, the wild and untamed vitality that surged through every summoned fragment of plant life. Zor'ahn had only recently discovered this new power, the ability to reach into that primal plane and draw forth its essence. He had hoped it would bring him a sense of completion, an end to the gnawing hunger that had haunted him his entire life, or that discovering this power was perhaps why that same hunger had driven him to Otari. Yet, as he stared at the summoned wood, a deep unease settled over him.
He reached out, his fingers brushing the rough bark and the smooth, cool leaves. There was a disconcerting darkness, a shadowy tendril that seemed to writhe within the heart of the wood, tainting its vibrant energy. A portal within a portal, he thought, his mind turning over the possibilities. The Shadow Absalom was a place he knew well, tucked away upon the plane of shadows, a realm of dark and negative energy where passion and danger lurked in every corner. But this merging, this taint of shadow within the wood—what could it mean?
Zor'ahn leaned back, his gaze drifting to the ceiling. A gnawing hunger within him stirred, a restless, insatiable craving that he could never fully understand. It was as if something deep within his soul yearned for more than mere sustenance or survival, more than the hunt or the thrill of combat. It was a hunger he had known all his life but had never fully understood. It was a void that nothing seemed to fill, a driving force that had led him to this remote town, to this quiet inn, to this moment. But the hunger was different now, more insistent, as if the newfound ability to draw upon the plane of wood had awakened it further.
He remembered the first time he had felt the surge of life from the plane of wood. It was a quickening - the raw, untamed energy coursing through him like a wild river. It had been exhilarating, intoxicating even. And with its help, his sword sang death to that goblin camp as he and his shadow had butchered their ranks in a blur of motion and violence. But now, the thrill was tempered by a deep and growing worry. What if the shadow within the wood was a reflection of his own nature? What if the hunger he felt was not merely a desire for life, but something darker, something more insidious? He could not help but imagine the hand of his patron Nethys, for in such duality are secrets whispered.
Zor'ahn rose from the bed and moved to the window, pushing it open to let in the cool night air. He looked out over the town of Otari, the rooftops bathed in the faint glow of distant lanterns. For now, he would remain here. The path ahead was uncertain, fraught with danger and unknown challenges, but here was a power here, something that called to him, a resonance with his very being. He did not know what it was, but he could feel its pull, like a beacon in the darkness.
As he stood at the window, the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon, casting a pale glow over the town. Zor'ahn took a deep breath, his eyes reflecting the growing light. The journey ahead was unclear, but he knew one thing for certain—he knew that he could no longer ignore the call of destiny that beckoned him onward.

Related Reports

• Session 1 - "Menace Under Otari - Part 1"
• Session 10 - "The Exterminators, Troubles in Otari - Part 3"
• Session 11 - "Founder's Day - Part 1"
• Session 12 - "Founder's Day - Part 2"
• Session 13 - "Founder's Day - Part 3, Waking the Dead"
• Session 14 - "Ruins of Gauntlight - Part 1"
• Session 15 - "A {Not So} Warm Welcome, Ruins of Gauntlight - Part 2"
• Session 16 - "Buzzkill, Ruins of Gauntlight - Part 3"
• Session 17 - "By Glow of Corpselight, Ruins of Gauntlight - Part 4"
• Session 18 - "The Pain Train, Ruins of Gauntlight - Part 5"
• Session 19 - "Echoes of the Past, Ruins of Gauntlight - Part 6"
• Session 2 - "Menace Under Otari - Part 2"
• Session 20 - "Consumed by Shadow, Ruins of Gauntlight - Part 7"
• Session 21 - "The Deconsecration, Ruins of Gauntlight - Part 8"
• Session 22 - "Finders Keepers, Ruins of Gauntlight - Part 9"
• Session 3 - "Menace Under Otari - Part 3"
• Session 4 - "Menace Under Otari - Part 4"
• Session 5 - "Menace Under Otari - Part 5"
• Session 6 - "Menace Under Otari - Part 6"
• Session 7 - "Menace Under Otari - Part 7"
• Session 8 - "The Toll Collectors, Trouble in Otari - Part 1"
• Session 9 - "Welcome Home, Troubles in Otari - Part 2"

Constellations