Zekd'orl - Blade of the Deep

[Deacon]

[SIZE=18][SIZE=13]//[/SIZE][SIZE=13]Original character submission: http://forums.layonara.com/recent-approvals/259622-new-character-submission-zekdorl.html
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ENTRY 1[/SIZE][/FONT]
Emergence

The first steps on the Realms that See the Sun were extremely hard. I had heard the rumors about the Blazing Ball of Fire that these kivvil call the Sun but nothing could prepare me for what I experienced that cycle. All I could see was white, a washout since my eyes had not been exposed to a light that bright before but gradually my eyes adjusted and I was able to find my way to the surface village known as Fort Vehl.  

It was there, still in the clothes I had wore from the Deep bearing the traditional blue of my House and gold denoting my status as a noble that I encountered the first kivvil I had ever seen. It was a human male, a human female, and a half-ogre who I later learned was named Rottie. He is not like the brutes that I am used to seeing, his speech is very developed and his intellect is strides beyond his kin. Despite the fact that my clothing hid my skin, he could discern that I am a Dark Elf since he was raised by an Az'attan enclave and understood our culture.

Our little ragtag group set out on a boat for Mariner's Hold, which I did not like at all. I am not used to the rocking of the boat caused by the crashing waves, or the rise and fall caused by the tide and I grew ill.  Only when we reached dry land again did I finally overcome the sickness. We made our way to a variety of locations and local points of interest to get acquainted with the surrounding area. Each time we rested I became more in tune with my soul.

We made our way to another fort where a cattle farmer had lost his prized heifer and gave us the task of finding it. In the fields near the fort we came upon a huge griffon which we discovered after killing it was still clutching a collar used for identifying cattle. We gave it to the farmer who indeed recognized it as the collar his lost heifer once wore. He was saddened by the loss, but grateful to us for finding it. I could care less that we found it, but did enjoy the reward that he gave us.

At this point we traveled back to Fort Vehl by the same boat, only this time I was prepared and did not become sick on the voyage. Once we were on dry land we talked to the undertaker of the local crypts who required the dust of a mummy deep within the crypts. I had seen the undead in rituals in the Deep, but had never had the luxury of seeing them up close. We made it to the bottom of the tomb and safely retrieved the ashes then returned them to the undertaker.  We then set out on our separate ways.

I was on my into the craft hall when I happened upon an interesting stranger. Through our short conversation in the hall, I learned that he was one of my distant kin, an outcast here just as I was. We left the hall for fear of prying eyes and ears and continued our conversation in the local tavern. I learned that he was interested in hearing the plight of other males like me so I told him my story and gave him my name.

Our musings were interrupted by a rather conceited female who tried to throw her weight around. I would not let her, for despite her opinion; I consider females my equal and would never take orders from one. It seemed that both her and the male, whom I learned was named Naster, sought to discover where my skills lie and to I threw in my allegiance with. We set out for a cave deep in the Silkwood Forest to kill the minions of the Prince of Hate.

While we were in the caverns, I showed off my skills with Bloodthirst, my greatsword. Naster it turns out is skillful in arcane arts and he bestowed upon Bloodthirst enchantments. I was so impressed with these enchantments that I vowed to learn their secrets that I may be able to do them myself. I do prefer the power of my blade over the mysticism of spells anyways.

The poisons of these spiders caused me great pain and suffering, all the more reason to despise the life I left behind. Their webs proved to be strong as steel, but we were able to make it through without loss of life. When we returned to the first level, I departed the group who continued to kill the spiders. I made it back to the village from which we had departed eager to see what the next cycles would bring.

[Deacon]

ENTRY 2
Gathering

A great many things have happened in the time since I last wrote; I do not know where to begin. I suppose the beginning is the most logical, so I will start there. I have decided that until further notice, the best way for me to acquire the most amount of True for myself, and also the easiest, is to gather the resources that can be found all over the surface realms. I started gathering cotton at first, then barley and finally skeleton knuckles.

Sounds easy enough, but when I went after the corn to feed the chickens things got a little more interesting. I encountered bugbears, much like the ones we used as thralls in the Deep, roaming free. Using proper skill, balancing parries and offensive attacks I managed to slay the beasts with ease. The griffon that guards the corn up on the hill proved to be a more difficult quarry, but I managed to escape to fight another day.

I have also been performing menial tasks for the inhabitants of the Realms that See the Sun. Their rewards are sufficient to support the effort required to perform their tasks, though why these people seem so eager to pay for services that they themselves would most likely be able to perform themselves is beyond my understanding. It seems the surface races are as inferior as we believed them to be.

Along my travels, a raven landed on my shoulder bearing a rolled up scroll in its talons. Upon reading it, I learned that the wizard with whom I had traveled with Rottie was interested in putting Corath's minions to rest. I still needed a few knuckles for my collection, so I decided that refusing his aid would most likely create an unnecessary headache for both of us.

As I awaited his arrival outside the crypt, a shadowy figure emerged from the depths of the tomb and began to speak to me and the wizard once he arrived. I came to learn that her name is Darthirâe, Matron Mother of House Zhalberen. She must have known that I am a Dark Elf because she wasted no time in asking me questions about my former house, and inquiring about other things only another Deep Dweller would understand.

She also inquired of my skills, and with obvious interest she struck me and the wizard a deal. In exchange for a box of skeleton knuckles, she would part with a scroll that she herself inscribes. The one condition is that the spell which we request must be one that we are immediately able to master. Since scrolls, especially the more rare ones can be hard to come by I felt that the deal was solid agreed to her terms.

Her parting words to me were interesting, for not only were they unnecessary but they were also a bit foolish in my opinion. She told me to find a better disguise, a statement that implies that I seek to hide who I am. I do not fear these surface dwellers, and though my kind have consistently oppressed and terrorized them I am not ashamed of who I am. If the patrons of this plane refuse to deal with me, then I am sure that I can find some who will.

I did not give Darthirâe another thought until a few cycles later when I encountered her again, this time I was already in the crypt when she happened upon me. She expressed interest in my skills once again, and wished to learn more of my story to glean what usefulness I might prove to her in the future. We left the tomb to speak about matters in a more private location where we engaged in conversation about the path that I had chose to follow. The discussion was quite lengthy, and by the end of it I sought for nothing more than to rest my eyes so I bade her farewell and set off to meditate to prepare myself for the next cycle's challenges.