The World of Layonara

Character Development => Development Journals and Discussion => Topic started by: ShiffDrgnhrt on July 10, 2009, 10:09:36 AM

Title: An Old Man's Journal - Shiff Dragonheart
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on July 10, 2009, 10:09:36 AM
After his Daughter's return home, Shiff began to think about what she's been up to, and started to wonder what he had done in the past, before he forgot the majority of his life.  He soon found out however, that his Journal, and the box which held his old letters, were gone.

"Val, honey?  Where are the old letters you said I had?"

Valmara grinned.
 "Your daughter took them when we first heard you..." she paused at the thought of that painful day, "had been taken..."

Shiff just sighed and shook his head.  "Guess it's time to start -another- journal..."
Title: The Defense of Hurix
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on July 12, 2009, 04:09:49 PM
"Val, would you calm down..." he says as his wife yells at him.  "What did you want me to do?!  . . .  I can't just sit around while those Cultists attack and kill people here on Mistone . . .  Oh leave me alone..."  He opens his new journal and starts to write in it.

I joined the call for assistance to Fort Hurix in Trelania, along with a number of others.  Seems that the armies of Mistone were too far behind to get there soon enough.  When we got there, the fort was holding out, but was only being toyed with by the enemy.  We spent the first day preparing to defend the fort.  I decided to help their fort's smiths forge more chains, which were being fired with the catapults to tie up the beasts we ended up fighting.   a man named Ben Peotr helped as well, and another man I don't know.

Then a few hours later the fort was attacked, and we suited up and went to the South Wall to fend off one of the beasts.  We managed to get it with the chains, and miraculously a pair of priests conjured their Gods' powers to trap it under ground awhile, but it seems these monsters are tougher then expected.  It managed to get back onto the wall, and we had to cut it down, but not without some loses.  Then more of the beasts were heard attacking the other walls, and we had to run all over the fort to kill them.  Unfortunately, many of the defenders of the keep were killed, but knowing that we could kill the enemy kept spirits up.

That night I spent time doing as much as I could.  I helped some of the braver soldiers with their sword work, spent some time trying to help the wounded however I could, and went back into the forges again.

The next day, they assaulted the main gate.  That was a hell of a fight, but we held, but again more men fell, and now I felt there were not enough to defend the walls.  I convinced the commander that his men's lives were better spent within the keep, where they could confront an enemy en masse, while we held the gates.

The next attacks came over the walls, and nearly killed us all.  I took a few good shots at the beasts, but one got me from behind.  I woke up later in the ward, my chest and back all bandaged up.  That morning we recieved reinforcements, and we were allowed to leave.  I took a claw off one of the beasts as a momento.  Maybe the next one of those things that I come across will know what it means to mess with a Dragonheart...

Looking over his shoulder, Valmara smacks Shiff in the back of the head.

Or maybe I'll stay home next time...
Title: The Ogre Problem...
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on July 12, 2009, 04:19:51 PM
"What do you mean you also were in the Ore Hills fighting Ogres!  What did I tell you about-"

"Oh come on...  I can't sit here all day!  I might be old but I'm not useless!  I need to be out there doing something..."

"But that's Dregar, not Mistone.  You don't need to be so far away from-"

"Val please...  I know I haven't been back long, but hey I'm still here ain't I?  Just got a few new scars, is all...  Come on...  I'm helping people...  It's what I do...  or did...  or something..."
Title: Re: An Old Man's Journal - Shiff Dragonheart
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on August 01, 2009, 09:01:03 PM
Stuck in the is a copy of a recent announcement...
Quote
Mulnari, Jular 16, 1451

 
 This Crown has learned the details of our stricken fort, Hurix. It grieves Us to know so many lives were lost, so many of our brothers, husbands an sons lay beneath the soil of Our fair kingdom. We honor those lost, all names collected will be recorded in the History for all time.
 
 We honor those, too, that stood by our innocents and devoted. Brave knights of Toran, of Rofirien and of Vorax arrived to drive off and hunt down Our attackers. For this We are ever grateful. It is, though, our highest praise that we wish to offer to the following, whom stood by the People of Hurix in their darkest hour, defending and enduring.
 
Benjamin Poetr
Tod Fellow

 Amanda
 Rodlin Serim
Galathea Arnaduillae
Chakar Achmed El'Mujahir
Shiff Dragonheart
Daniella Stormhaven
Aesthir Stargazer
Angela Swann

 Storold Doesscha
Pallena

 Maelverik Reznar
 
 Trelania offers a day of celebration to honor all of those who fought for Our People.

See?  I still got it...
Title: Learning Elf...
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on September 06, 2009, 12:55:17 PM
Written in an otherwise incomprehensible list are a bunch of elven words...

Ire- Hi
Iracce - Hello
E Ceela aey - I love you
E ils laemma - I am sorry
Iream ilma aey - How are you?
Anifca - Table / Ameewal - Wooden
Nyirilem - Chair

Below which is written...

So I finally decided to find Elohanna and ask her about elvish.  Ever since spending time in North Point with the Aeridinites I've been curious about elven...  especially since they always talked amongst themselves in elven...

She gave me a bunch of books about Elvish and Common that I've been trying to read...  Maybe I'll actually learn something..
Title: The Medal of Honor... and those Noisey Boots
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on September 12, 2009, 07:59:18 PM
He comes home from an evening at Blackford Castle, with a unique pair of boots on his feet, and a shiney medal holding his cloak on.  He kisses his sleeping wife on the cheek, then goes to sit at his desk. He opens his new journal and starts to write about his day.
[INDENT]Believe it or not, I was actually honored with a Medal of Honor by the Kingdom of Trelania for my participation in the Battle of Hurix.  I was totally surprised, but more surprised that it was enchanted!  If you poke it, it casts that Stone spell that makes you tougher.  If it does anything else I haven't noticed but it sure is nice.  I didn't expect anything after the fight.  Was just happy to have saved the day after so long, but to be awarded with a Medal?  Wow...

And that wasn't the end (though I think it was the best part).  We, meaning myself and the others who defended Hurix, each recieved an item made from the Beasts that attacked the city!  One of them was a rather fancy ring, which I wanted, but I decided to take a gnarly pair of boots instead and let that elf girl, I'm guessing Storold's most recent woman, have it.  She seemed sweet and like she really wanted it...  She let me choose first though, so I sneaked the boots out and didn't let anyone know what I had 'til she opened the chest.  She smiled wide.  I felt really good about that...  Been a while since I made someone's day...

Afterwards I heard from a Rofireinite Commander, I think her name was Jennara Creekskipper?  I think Tyra's mentioned her, but she told us about what had been going on at the same time...  Apparently Tyra had been with her but I guess it was beyond them...  Sounds like something bad happened...  They recovered some nasty book though...  And I think she said some Heavenly thing came down to take it...  But...  I donno about that...  Not that I would know anything anyway...

Nice pair of boots by the way.  They are clawed and look like a Dragon's foot...  Sorta...  Really noisey though...  
[/INDENT]
Title: Re: An Old Man's Journal - Shiff Dragonheart
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on September 14, 2009, 10:19:49 PM
After spending a few hours reading and looking over books on elvish nursery rhymns, he takes a break to write in his journal.
 [INDENT] I went to see Elohanna again.  We spent some time going over some conversational things, instead of just random words.  I guess Elohanna has no idea how to teach me how to speak Elven, so I'll just stick to asking what I think I need.  I asked how to say things like, "What's your name?" and how to ask for directions, among other things.  It was nice.
 
 Afterward she seemed really bothered though, so I tried to comfort her.  Unfortunately we didn't do much more learning, but by then my head hurt and figured that was enough.  I could have a very short conversation now, at least...  But it's still very rehearsed-sounding and not natural.  I hope I can get better from talking to her.
[/INDENT]
Title: Up on the Hill... Elvish II
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on September 22, 2009, 02:46:07 PM
I woke up from my afternoon nap to what sounded like a thunder storm, but it was louder then usual and coming from a clear blue sky!  I also noticed it came from the hills outside of town, so fearing some wizard was up to no good I grabbed my sword and rode out there on Night Runner to see what was going on...

And who do I find making a ruckus?  Elohanna.  She was having a fit cause Omer was leaving for something (I wonder if she considered how Krys might feel) so she decided to throw thunder around up there...

Well after we yelled at eachother for having different ways to handle conflicts (I donno what brought that up) we sat and had a nice lesson in elvish.  Which is hard, since she's not good at teaching the language, so I just give her ideas.  We ended up talking about bartering.  I would ask a question like "How much for the pie" and she would say it back to me in Elvish,
 Iream synyir oem anira tyea.  And of course I had to ask her how to spell it...  It's much easier to speak then read, I think..  especially with the way things are spelled, it's like a big tongue twister.  We kept on going like that, basically.  I ended up learning how to say...
And then the numbers in Elvish...

 acaelal, anamacela, aniremanaal, oeymanaal, oeoanaal, lae'anaal,
 laaelalanaal, aeviranaal, lelaanaal, anamalana, aniremana, oemana,
oeoana, lae'ana, laaelalana, aevirana, lelaana, irylwmaw, anireylaillw...[/FONT]

eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen,
seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, thirty, forty,
 fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety, hundred, thousand...
[/FONT][/LIST]
Title: Re: An Old Man's Journal - Shiff Dragonheart
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on October 03, 2009, 01:36:04 AM
Sitting up in bed one night, Shiff reads over a letter he recieved earlier in the day by candlelight, much to the disdain of his tired wife...

Quote
Dearest Shiff,
 
 I know I have not been the greatest teacher when it comes to learning Elven, and so I have been trying to study the techniques to help teach you what I can so that you can be successful as I know how important this is to you.
 
Below I have included some simple rules that I would like for you to study, I know we have studied basic phrases but I hope that we can begin on our next lesson soon and we can go into the subtleties of my language that make it so beautiful and worth the time and effort to learn.
 
 This lesson focus on consonants. . .
 
 
Your Friend and Teacher,
Elohanna

Attached is a list of elven consonants, along with a an explanation of the sound in common.  After reading through the list, he goes back to try to make each of the consonant sounds, eventually earning him a smack in the head from his wife's pillow.  With a hearty chuckle he fold up the letter to practice with later, blowing out the candle and going to sleep.
Title: Re: An Old Man's Journal - Shiff Dragonheart
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on February 20, 2010, 10:07:00 PM
So Ben Peotrs dead....
 
 He sits in front of his desk, hoping to have more to write.
 
 I remember fighting at Hurix with him...  He was no chicken...
 
 Rest well Ben...
Title: Re: An Old Man's Journal - Shiff Dragonheart
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on July 06, 2010, 10:12:00 PM
When Shiff hears rumors of plans to strike against the Dragon Cult on their turf, sightings of the old man begin anew.
Title: Re: An Old Man's Journal - Shiff Dragonheart
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on January 09, 2012, 11:59:19 PM
After a recent incident in Haven, Shiff comes home, covered in blood stained and dented armor, to a greeting from a familiar greatsword, aimed at his head.  Ducking, and allowing the blade to get stuck in the door, Shiff smiled at his wife, before grinning.  "Miss me?"

"What the hell is going on?!" she yelled, pointing to a dessicated goblin corpse half way through their floor.  She paused and glared at Shiff.  "What did you do this time?!"

"ME?"  Shiff sighed, standing and wrenching the blade from the door and handing it back to his burly wife.  "I was following a rumor with our GRANDSON and his lady friend, and got attacked by about..."  He pauses to think, using his fingers to count.  "I dunno, two, three, four, HUNDRED ZOMBIES?!"

Val took back her sword and sighed.  "Is the town safe?"

"Yes, for now.  Thanks to me, again..."  He walked past her to his Arms case and started removing his armor.  "And, and to Ty, his lady friend...  Oh, Talia was there, you remember her, right?  And...  Some other people I've never heard of... who never heard of me..."  He pouted at his wife at that last comment.

"Oh get over it, Shiff.  No one remembers us, much."
Title: Shiff sat at a table alone at
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on April 06, 2016, 08:22:34 AM

Shiff sat at a table alone at Kelin's Inn in Krandor, sipping from his one hundred year old store of Will-O-Whiskey.  The other adventurers had turned in or departed for other locales after a short dip in the crypts, so Shiff was left to enjoy more time alone.  It was nice seeing that there are still people adventuring.  For him, adventuring had lost a lot of its charm in the past half-century.  Many friends had disappeared, not having been heard from in longer than even he could remember, and he could remember a lot.  His first time wandering into Hlint.  First time listening to a story from Ozymandius.  The crazy adventurers of Hawklen and that nutter Kinai.  Valmara, Clarissa, Krys, Omer, Peanut, Kobal....  And so many more old friends who names he hoped might poor out of the bottle of his bottle and back into his thoughts.  For the first time in a long time he wished he could her Ben call him an idiot, or Elohanna's sweet giggle when she'd say, "Oh, Shiff," after he had done something stupid (again).  He even missed Emwonk and his Birds and Butterflyies.  He missed people.  Lots of people.

He took a deep pull of his bottle and regretted it immediately.  He didn't know why he drank the stuff but the pain of a good swig of whiskey seemed agreeable to his old nerves.  Made him feel.... alive?  He wasn't sure.  He felt thin.  Stretched.  Like butter over too much toasted bread.  And pain seemed to be the only thing that reminded him that no, he wasn't dreaming.  The world had changed around him.  He was a near forgotten relic, made at the tale end of a great age of heroes.  

At least, he told himself that.  Vrebel disagreed.  "Vrebel: Master Swordsman."  He could remember when Vrebel didn't even know which end of a sword was the point end.  That made him smile.  Now Vrebs could probably slap him around Port Hempstead blindfolded with an arm tied behind his back.  Vrebs gave Shiff a lot of the credit, but he knew he was only a stepping stone for the guy.  And he was happy for him.  He knew people could count on Vrebel if they needed a stout warrior on their side.  

A waitress dropped off a loaf of bread and a dish of herb-infused oil with a smile and left.  He felt like she was familiar.  Probably someone he helped way back.  He ripped off a hunk, dipped it, and chewed on it.  He was sort of glad he went to Center to investigate the Gnolls and Orcs rumors.  Not so much when he followed that bone-headed young kid Wihl back into the deep to find out the giant Spider demon they killed was giving birth to full grown orcs.  But the kid reminded him of someone he knew, long ago, who first heard of another legend with a greatsword.  A Wicked one, at that.  And maybe that was enough to keep him going.

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2026, SimplePortal