Squawk! Registered Member #648
Joined: 1:50:32 am GMT 11/20/05
Posts: 1484
!! THERE ARE LOTS OF SPOILERS IN THIS THREAD !!
Nature Night just finished event # 62. I started writing IC synopsis at #9.
That is a lot of reading to know what the heck is going on. This can leave a lot of folks lost as we all talk about our various, friends, enemies, frenemies and so on.
I really like some of my writing, but a lot of it would be hard to understand if someone had not been there. Some of it is straightforward, and some of it starts in the middle before foreshadowing something that will be cleared up in a prelude.
So, this will be an OOC, highly abbreviated version of some things that happened. I also hope to make it a bit of an introduction to PC’s and NPCS. Please feel free to post some info about your character, their animal companion, or whatever you want here.
Squawk! Registered Member #648
Joined: 1:50:32 am GMT 11/20/05
Posts: 1484
Pre-Nature Night 9 : Malam wondered around with Dauken, looking for a Grove, as he was called to do by Nature. Roklynd and Cian helped him. They found the Grove in the North-East corner of the Crossroads ( now called “The Old Gove ).
The Called meet Daniel of Poisonwood. He wants them to stay out of the wood, but helps them save a dryad from the orcs. Malam agrees to stay away from Poisonwood, and Daniel offers aid if the Grove ever needs it.
Caster and Cuchuwyn joined up and helped Malam find his way around the island without getting eaten or killed.
Others joined, such as Izzy, Rhandum, Rita, Tarina and Narade. They, with others, really helped start the Grove. This is part of the reason for the Grove’s soft spot for those seen as terribly evil or outcasts by so many.
A “Midnight Pixie” showed up when only Malam was there. It told Malam that it represented Sister Garmania, a powerful guardian of Nature. The druid's efforts were waking more of these guardians. Malam was sworn to secrecy in this.
#9 : A krenshar runt shows up at the Grove, afraid of something. It never utters a sound. Malam names it “ Silence” .The Called hide it in a nearby cave. The Called investigated what seemed to be a grove under the gnoll fort. There was a riddle, and a door they could not get open.
Silence eventually becomes a Grove regular.
#10: The Called go to the Empyrean Camp to offer aid, and ask about rumors of a grove once existing in the Wastes. They get no answers from them, or the nearby Nomad Camp. They leave some supplies for both. It snows in the desert that day.
#11: The Called investigate the new circle of stones near the Trade and Takel. Everyone is clueless to the origins. Some folks think the Tel’Mordere will invade through them. Some folks blame the druids for this thing that might happen.
#12: The Called come across “ The Wolf”, the first of the Sleeping Gaurdians to wake. Malam makes him mad by trying to bond with him through animal empathy. The Wolf warns them that more will wake, and they should not try to stop it. The wolf seems very angry with how Nature is treated by much of the island.
#13: Folks hang out in the Grove. All kinds are there, and get along, by the Grove rules of Sanctuary.
#14: The group finds the Vision Fruit deep in the Bagnorn Lands. This fruit was seen in a dream. It would help them know what they must do at many of the Callings. Rafe of the Keepers helps, bettering the Groves relation with the Keepers. Daniel of Poisonwood helps, bettering the Grove’s relation to Poisonwood. Dauken gets tired of waiting for the druids to carry out a ritual of drinking draughts made from the Vision Fruit, so he drinks one of them himself.
Squawk! Registered Member #648
Joined: 1:50:32 am GMT 11/20/05
Posts: 1484
#15: A dryad appears to the Malam and Riggs in the Grove. It tells them of an invasion of undead legions in the Woods Beyond. Many gather along the way to help. The dryad falls in the Battle of The Feywild. The Called win out and confront the their leader just as he is killing Drystan, the Gaurdian of the Door to the Fey realm. This is The pale King/Zeraphil. He insists that they give him “Eteruna”. The Called somehow beat him. They resurrect Drystan. The gaurdian entrusts Malam to deliver the ancient artifact/katana known as Eteruna/Sin to Draxus.
At some point, Cuchuwyn has to rely on a debt from Rhandum to keep Malam safe from Rhandum’s quest for the blade. This leads to Cuchuwyn having to continue to carry an abyssal mark that he needs to get rid of.
#16: Malam is trying to keep the sword secret, as it makes him weak and ill. No other druids show to the calling, but Rhandum, Rita, Izzy and others keep him alive as they search the Slaadi caves for clues to fight the riftstones. They meet Grolobux the Obscene. He is a slaadi gardener who tells them of how Davenshire fell, and why the Slaadi now live there.
#17: The Called go to Davenshire seeking answers based on rumors of caves below. They cannot get in past a cave in. They go to the Air Shrine seeking adventure and insight.
#18 Dauken’s vision shows that the Bagnorn have taken some rare animal for some dark purpose. The called invade the Bagnorn Keep. They find an powerful stag of legend known as a Shadowhart. This creature is known for powerful healing abilities. They free the stag, and it gives Cuchuwyn one of its tears as a reward.
#19: The Called go to the Temple of Bahamut to heal Deidra from an affliction. Kallista tricks her way in with them. Malam goes to heal Deidra. Deidra’s amulet lashes out at the cursed sword that Malam carries. Malam is stunned and rambling while the others sort things out. The sword clatters onto the floor. Everyone ( including Kallista) sees it. Kallista is revealed for herself, so she flees through a portal to Underdark. Caster follows her in a rage. The Pale King/Zeraphil enters the temple, seeking to take the sword. Everyone there fights him and manages to win.
In Between : Over the next few weeks, word travels fast of Malam having the blade. He hides in the Bagnorn Lands, hoping for word of Draxus. Kallista draws him back by blighting the Grove. She tries to get Malam to simply give her the sword. Weakened in will by the sword, he almost gives in to her magically laced words. Dauken and Silence attack Malam to bring him out of the stupor. This enrages Kallista, and she attacks. Malam and his animals lose, but leave her blinded. Still, Kallista then has the Blade. Kallista's hatred of Dauken begins.
Cuchuwyn gathers up all sorts of folks to help Malam and his critters recover. Cian and Phoenix also show up and they manage to remove the Shadowblight from the Grove.
#20: Cuchuwyn leads them to the Northlands to get what they need to form Shards of Glacial Ice. He knows these will be needed in making a grove. Makos joins the group, seeming to be a helpful and dedicated druid. They fight many Frost giants, find what they need, and Cuchuwyn Skillfully crafts the ice into the Shards.
Squawk! Registered Member #648
Joined: 1:50:32 am GMT 11/20/05
Posts: 1484
#21: Dauken sees a vision of a thorny plant that they will need. The called find it in a clearing in Grauer Suden. Elemental pillars surround it. It exists between the Mortal and Spirit realms. Elemental guardians are fought, the pocket dimension that the Spiritthorn rest in is entered. The plant could not be retrieved, but a single berry from it is taken.
#22: Based on another vision given by the Vision Fruit, the called set off to the umber hulk caves. Here they find the Umbershroom, as they decided to name it. It seemed to have powerful properties of detection that would be useful later. They then set out for the Bagnorn lands, Here they retrieved a Yewwood tree that had fallen in a lightning strike. Dauken insisted that Kelvon must carve this into a Dire Wolf Totem. He also produced a strange magical bag that could hold an entire tree in it, but absolutely nothing else. Dauken insisted that he “ found it”.
The Wild Grove: The Called, one by one, found the Wild Grove. Its entrance appeared right next to where they had found the Spiritthorn. No one could recall any tales of it. It seemed ancient but had no history. Narade, one of Thain’s greatest lore keepers, told Malam that this place would be important. She warned Malam that Gorrath was constantly made more powerful by wars and hate. She told him that this place must be a place of peace. Malam was moved by Narade’s atypical show of emotion and promised her that he would keep it this way. This is one of the reasons for the Groves tendency toward staying out of the wars. The Wild Grove represents the peaceful, nurturing side of Nature.
#23: Cuchuwyn leads the Called back into The Wastes to find the grove that was rumored to be there. They find an oasis. They bring home the Bucket of Desert Spring Water. They know it will be used in making a new Grove one day.
#24: The Called go to Gerdamish Moor. The gnolls had been using abyssal tools and potions to keep the hounds under control. The Called strike at the gnolls, destroying the potions and the tools. They gather a Broad Leaf that is offered to them by a plant in the Ancient Grove under the gnoll fort. They manage to get one hound back to the Grove. Makos brews the Broadleaf into a paste, as Dauken observes. Makos then uses the paste to draw out the abyssal energies from the hound. The hound is freed from the poisons, and the gnolls influence.
Demons attack the grove, perhaps drawn by the energies. The Called defeat them, and return the one-eared Moor Hound, Kala, to the pack of free hounds in the moor. Kala begins working to free more hounds.
#25: The druids know that some Phase Spiders in Adumbral Woods can still be communicated with through Animal Empathy. An event happens there that may be related to this. Strange fogs and winds are there. Samples of Air are collected near these phase spiders, and some areas where spiders won’t go. They also collect venom from these special phase spiders.
In Between: Dauken has fantasies of growing as large as a Roc and crushing Kallista. Fey approach Malam, telling him to gather seeds from all over the island. They hope to help make a Grove in the Wastes.
More to come. Please feel free to post anything you wish about this in the meantime.
Squawk! Registered Member #648
Joined: 1:50:32 am GMT 11/20/05
Posts: 1484
A bit of Vocabulary and Character introductions ...
The Calling: What brings anyone to a Nature Night event. Some don't believe it exists, and they just came for their own reasons. Malam and the narrator of most of the Nature Night IC posts feel that any who show up are there because Nature wants them to be there.
The Called: Any of the characters that show up for the Calling. It is possible that even those enemies that show up are part of The Called. It is a philosophical question without a confirmed answer.
The Circle of the Groves: Any who are regular protagonists of Nature Night or events around it are part of this, assuming that they want to be.
The Druidic Circles: Different druids can belong to different Circles. There can be circles within circles. Example: One Druidic Circle is Malam: Druid of the East and Air, Cuchuwyn: Druid of the South and Water, Caster: Druid of the North and Fire, and Cian: Druid of the West and Earth.
The Totems: These are being slowly crafted by Kelvon. Dauken has visions of where wood lies that may be harvested without unnecessary tree death. There is some mysterious endgame to their crafting, that Dauken claims to be unsure of. They are based on the most common Druid/ranger animal companions. Five have been finished so far.
The Wood Woad: He appeared roughly after The Wild Grove appeared. He tends to the Wild Grove and its guests. He seems ancient and wise. He sometimes helps the group on adventures with acts, advice, or visions. Wood Woads are generally druids who live on in this tree-humanoid form by way of an ancient ritual.
Silence: A krenshar who was drawn to the Grove. He returned to his home to find all of the krenshar were gone in Crater Lake after the war broke out there. He now lives with the others in the Wild Grove.
Dauken: Dauken is a strange animal companion to the Druid Malam. He is able to shift shapes but generally appears as a seagull. He ate a fruit that gives him visions that help give The Called direction.
The Gull-lings: Dauken's five adolescent seagulls. Their mother died, so Dauken tries to be a good dad.
The Treant Sapling: A recent addition to the grove. She was saved from Bagnorn orcs and brought to the Wild Grove.
Chomper: A basilisk that was brought to the Wild Grove as a child. He lost his parents when a magical sickness overtook the basilisks in the wastes. He likes to eat gems.
The Old Grove: A small clearing of trees in the north-west corner of the Crossroads. It was the original place of The Callings. After the Wild Grove was found, it seems to have gone into a form of sleep.
The Wild Grove: this is the central meeting place of Nature Night, and home to many of its regulars. It is the grove that represents the peaceful, nurturing side of Nature.
The Jungle Grove: Once an oasis in the Wastes, this place is now surrounded by the Shadowleaf Jungle. By actions of the Called, an ancient aspect of the wastes, the fey, and the Tel'mordere, it restored the wasted lands overnight. The Grove is safe, but the jungle around it is full of deadly creatures. This grove represents the savage, survival side of Nature.
Davenshire Grove: This Grove seemed to disappear after cataclysmic events in Davenshire. It was eventually called back by the actions of many. It is an area of peace in a place full of chaos and Slaadi. It holds a gateway to the Spirit Grove.
The Spirit Grove: A mysterious grove that seems to be a place between life and death, spirit and mortal. It is here that Spiritthorns grow in abundance. There is still much that is not understood about this grove. This grove represents the spiritual and mystical part of Nature.
Squawk! Registered Member #648
Joined: 1:50:32 am GMT 11/20/05
Posts: 1484
You're right ! have been slacking on this !!
In Between: Malam goes out to the desert to look over the tiny oasis that still exists there. He understands that a Grove once existed in these lands. He wonders if this is what remains of it. He explores fallen rocks that cover the entrance of a nearby cave. He wonders why it seems so important to him. Kallista shows up. The talk instead of fighting. Kallista tells him that she no longer has the blade. Kallista marvels at all the beasts of The Wastes that fight to the death. She throws some spores that strip Malam's magical defenses, then vanishes. Malam calls the winds to pull the remaining spores into a vial.
#26: The Called take seeds, collected from all over the island, to the desert oasis. They, along with some fey representatives have a plan to bury and bless these seeds, to begin growing another Grove. Leukovilles, the Aspect of The Wastes, appears in the form of a gargantuan snake that constantly shifts from solid form to sand. He offers to help them if they bring him a piece of The Heartwood to eat, so they set off to the Tel'Mordere Lands.
By telling the Biter Elves that Leukovilles sent them, The Called are allowed passage and a piece of the Heartwood. They go back to the wastes and give it to Leukovilles. He eats it and solidifies as a snake. Trees and plants begin growing around the oasis. Leukovilles tells The Called to plant the seeds that they brought. All the vegetation begins growing and decaying at an incredible pace as the next generation feeds off of the old one.
#27: The Called are visited by the Tel'Mordere Satyr Brute again. He offers words of encouragement for growth in The Wastes and then leaves them. Caster, the Druid of Fire, leads the Called to the Plane of Fire. They help the Azers with some troubles. Caster draws the hottest fires into a Shard of Pure Fire to bring its elemental powers to the fledgling Desert Grove.
#28: Malam does not appear for the Calling. A faerie dragon is there with an unconscious female gnome named Jojo. The faerie dragon tells a tale of being magically pulled to this island, only to be attacked by slaadi, then portaled by Malam, Silence, and Dauken to the Wild Grove. The Called manage to heal Jojo. All of them go search for Malam. The find Silence, who tells them that after defeating the slaadi, Malam and Dauken followed an air elemental to the plain of Air.
#29: Dauken returns to the Grove with instructions on how to bring Malam back from the plane of air. The Called go to Drakmeyer Bridge and carry this out. Malam is stuck in very weakened air elemental form so he can carry Pure Elemental Air for the Desert Grove. They are attacked by Kallista. Some of The Called chase Kallista while others protect Malam. Kallista is not caught, but the air element is delivered as needed.
Edit: Cuchuwyn releases the Shard of Glacial Ice as well. Caster and Cian arrive later and release the Shard of Pure Fire and the Earth Stone. All four Elemental Gifts of Nature that the Vision Fruit revealed are now tied to the growing Desert Grove.
#30: The Called go to the Wastes and find Caster has been attacked by hordes of Basilisks. They heal him. He tells them the Basilisk are attacking the Emperyan Camp and everything else that they see. The Called have to cull many of the insane basilisks. They find the cause of their insanity is an unearthed stone that is full of dark magic. The basilisks were drawn to it and chewed on it. The Called blast and push it off the cliff. Giant elementals from below attack them in response. The Called find an orphaned baby basilisk that has not been eaten any of the Dark Stone. They feed him gems, name him Chomper, and take him to the Wild Grove to raise him.
Squawk! Registered Member #648
Joined: 1:50:32 am GMT 11/20/05
Posts: 1484
#31: The Called head to Ridgeshield. Dorothea, the Paladin of Helm, had asked for their help cleansing the area of the evil taint that resides there. They find that there is a small fort under construction, along with some dark effigy that Rita has constructed. They are concerned but move on. They go further into Ridgeshield to find the Winewood trees that grow off in the woods. The trees seem resistant to the effects of both the evil taint and Poisonwood. One tree was already cut down by loggers, leaving a huge stump ( just as Dauken had told them). they wrestle the stump from the ground and place it into the magical Tree Bag. The tree will be carved into the Wolf Totem by Kelvon.
In Between: Cuchuwyn is concerned about the effigy in Ridgeshield, the spread of Poisonwood, and his demonically marked hand. Chomper hangs out with Cuchuwyn and begs for gems.
#32: The Called grow concerned about Kallista's attacks on Feywood and themselves, and her interest in the children of Steinkreiss. They decide to prepare for a possible battle with her. They go to the gnome tinkerer high on Hammersong Mountain and purchase devices that cast Sunburst. They go to the Air Shrine to Bless and empower the Air Samples that they earlier took from Adumbral Woods. They return to find that Kallista has cast a Shadowblight on the Wild Grove. They are attacked by shadow demons. A nest full of five bird eggs is blighted but survives. Two spider eggs are left behind as some form of a message. They begin working to restore the Wild Grove and the eggs.
In Between: Alistram grows furious with Kallista's actions. He seems torn between his respect for the peaceful ways of the Circle of Groves and the primal and predatory ways he had once learned as a follower of Malar. His rage takes him. He sacrifices his own animal companion to Malar and prepares to hunt the drow witch.
Kelvon carves the Wolf Totem. He uses Cayenne, Crimsons red wolf animal companion, as the model for part of it, then adds other wolves as well. The Second Totem is finished.
#33: The Wild Grove is in a state of healing through positive spirit energy. Malam is preparing the Wild Grove for The Calling when a projected image of Kallist invades the sanctuary. Kallista reveals that she attacks the Called because she wants the wastes to stay as it is. She enjoys watching the powerful creatures there destroy one another. She believes life is meant for only the strongest to enjoy. Her image fades and Malam finishes preparing the Grove.
The Called set out for the Iron Clan Caves. Cuchuwyn gathers firepowder for use on the blocked cave entrance in the wastes (and to use against the Mora'Chel). Malam and the Wood Woad take the bird and spider eggs into the para-dimensional Grove of Peace in the Iron Clan caves. The Wood Woad gathers leaves to wrap the eggs in to help remove the Shadowblight from them. Malam places them back into a hibernated state.
In Between: Alistram hunts and attacks Kallista on his own. He is defeated. She lets her spiders lay eggs in him. His last thoughts are of his friends in the Grove. The spiderlings hatch from their eggs, burst from his wounds, and consume him. None of The Called know of this.
#34: The Calling begins with a Moot. There are many arguments on what action should be taken against Kallista. Some call for preparation, others call for immediate action. Some of The Called set out to gather blessings from the elemental Shrines ( both for the battle ahead, and for the restoration of the eggs). A strange serpent attacks those who guard the grove but is driven off. The Called receive the blessings of the shrines. They Alistram's fur and blood, along with a mocking note from Kallista, in the Water Shrine. The Druids remove the taint from the Shrine and prepare for war with the Witch.
#35: The Called hold a funeral for Alistram. It starts with sadness but ends with rage as they gather who they can and assault Mora'Chel. They make their way toward the Gardens, based on intelligence reports that Kallista is there. The battle is furious. The Called are seriously undermanned but tear the city apart. By the time they reach the Gardens, they are wounded and out of spell power. Makos betrays the Grove and sides with Kallista ( he was a spy all along). Shadow demons attack the Called. Malam falls fighting the demons. Makos searches his body for the Spiritthorn Berry but is cut down by Cuchuwyn. Makos and the demons are narrowly defeated. Kallista is still too powerful for the few Called that still stand. The Called manage to gather their own and retreat. Kallista is not destroyed, but the Called destroyed much of her city. This showed that they are not a force to be trifled with, as well as causing problems between Kallista and her city for drawing this attack.
Squawk! Registered Member #648
Joined: 1:50:32 am GMT 11/20/05
Posts: 1484
Fun Facts
Makos and Kallista both want the Spiritthorn Berry, recognizing that Spiritthorns hold potential for incredible power.
The Berry that Makos failed to take was eventually used to help restore Davenshire Grove and gain entry to the Spirit Grove.
As of this RL date, none of the Circle of Groves knows that Makos or Kallista had been trying to get the Spiritthorn Berry ( they do now know that they are trying to get into the Spirit Grove).
Squawk! Registered Member #648
Joined: 1:50:32 am GMT 11/20/05
Posts: 1484
Fun Facts
After the events in Bahamut's Temple. Caster ended up being bewitched by Kallista to try and kill Malam and take the Blade Sin from him.
The Blade Sin has been around for a long time and has been a key part of past plots.
Several of the posts in " Stories of the Grove" include snippets from the song that the Blade Sin sings. The song tells a story of Thain's past and the origins of the blade.
The Blade Sin is sometimes referred to as Eteruna.
[ The Island of Thain ]
Nature Night TLDR
