A conversion. That’s what I call it when I think back
on it. I had two such events take place in my past. The first I will not go into detail on
other than to say that it was a conversion into darkness. After this took place I was a
tool of evil. My victims could not easily be counted. I did this most unwillingly, often
it was as if a fog clouded my mind and when it cleared the hapless victim was dead. I
would not kill them for any sort of revenge or for their gold, simply because I was in the
throws of evil.
Weeks of killing melted into months, months melted into years.
And the years melted away into a haze of blood. There was soon little left of the man that
was before, I had grown as cold and uncaring as the steel blade that cut down the
innocent. Those days were filled with much chaos and strange events.
Towns were overrun with thieves and murderers, and raided by Orcs and Ettins. There was
much lawlessness then, and any that did exist was corrupt, often doing more killing then
the criminals. Their time, however, was soon to end as was all of ours.
It was in those bloody days that I had my second conversion. I
remember it, above anything else, as though it was yesterday. I had just left the town of
Skara Brae, hiding on a miner's boat till we hit land several miles south. I slew him
quickly as I made my way across the plank onto the shore. I then made my way across the
continent to the east. After an uneventful journey I found myself in an immense forest. I
rested in there till the sun started setting.
I had just begun to drift off to sleep when I heard a noise
nearby. I rose and began to search the area, coming to a small clearing. In the center, to
my surprise, I found a beautiful maiden. She was clothed in brown robes and motioned for
me to come closer. I began to feel the familiar feelings of darkness overtake me. My head
started to cloud, I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. I calmly walked up to her,
holding my sword behind my back. When I got close I felt an unusual warmth, but that did
not abate my thirst for blood. With one motion I swung the sword from behind my back,
landing the blade on her neck. Except it went straight through, as though she were not
there at all! I stumbled forward, not expecting to fan the air on my blade. I landed less
then a foot before her, and yet she seemed as peaceful as deer grazing.
Suddenly she pressed her right palm into my chest. Her hand
instantly pierced my flesh and was moving towards my heart. I fell to my knees and
instinctively grabbed at her hand. It was now as solid as an oak! I screamed in pain as I
felt her grip my heart. In one movement she plucked it from my chest. I gazed up at it,
still beating in her hand. It was black and rotted. As I looked on with the last ounce of
life leaving me, I saw her visage begin to glow and my pulsing heart begin to purify in
her hands. It was turning a bright red color.
When I awoke, I had no idea of how much time had passed except
that I was very hungry. I put my hands to my chest, and feeling no wound, breathed a sigh
of relief. I looked down to find instead a tanned hand print over my heart. I looked
around and saw no one. Trying to get up sent shooting pains throughout my body. Suddenly I
heard a voice in my head.
"You have been cleansed through the healing of Danu, from
this day forth you will no longer feel the thirst for blood. You will instead seek to
protect the virtues of Danu." And as this was said I knew it was all-true.
The voice continued to say, "Your spirit is protected by
the blessing of Danu, do not stray from her path and she will guide you true."
I heard nothing else from that voice for a long time. I did
however, strive to change my ways. I helped all that I could. I defended any that needed
it. I tracked down murderers and put them to rest. I did this relentlessly until
catastrophe struck.
One day while traveling through Brittain to purchase some goods,
I came face to face with a dark portal appearing right before my eyes. Out of it stepped a
Daemon. Another followed this one, and then another. I jumped behind a building only to
see, across the way, another mysterious portal open and from it more evil creatures. I saw
my fellow townsfolk take to arms and start battling these beast. The streets of Brittain
soaked up much blood that day. I quickly took out my blade and began taking swings at two
of the creatures closest to me. They seemed immune to my steel! My blade seemed to dull on
the hides of the massive beasts. I abandoned my sword, hilt deep, in a carcass and let
loose a fireball only to see one fall before me. Even at this minor victory, I was struck
in the head by a mighty blow. I whirled to see a dragon that had just taken a swing at me.
Trying to regain my footing, I found myself engulfed in its flames. I rolled on the
ground, ending up in a pool of blood and a pile of corpses.
Clawing my
way back to my feet I pulled out a dagger, the only blade I had left, and made one final
attempt at a nearby beast. As my blade sunk in, the creature bit into my neck, sending
rivers of pain flooding through my body. I fell to the ground and began losing
conceisiouseness.
It was then that I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. I looked
up to see the same visage I had in the woods. I mumbled the name Danu. The figure kept the
same peaceful look that it always had. I felt a calm engulf me and the bloodshed that
surrounded me seemed to be but a dream, and this calm to be reality.
I heard the same voice as before in my mind. "This place is
fading into the beyond, you must leave here now."
Before me a silvery translucent portal wavered. I tried to crawl
into it but could not move my limbs, then I felt as if I was freed from my body. In a form
that was only spirit now, I made my way into the portal.
I awoke in a tavern called the Barnacle in Minoc. My head swam
with a drunken haze. I looked at my reflection in a nearby bowl of water. This was not the
face I had grown to know over the years. This was a new face, and a new body! I looked at
my chest under my tunic and found, to my comfort, the same handprint I had over my heart
in my old form.
It did not take me long to piece together what had happened,
since I retained my memory. And I shudder now to think back on the horror that befell my
old home. I also found that I could not use this new form as deftly as my old body. I had
to relearn all of my skills.
With but a sword in my backpack I began again. Defending those
who needed my help. I first met Eric Masterson a miner whom I spent a long time protecting
on the lawless Mt. Kendall. Together we exchanged much knowledge, but after a time, went
our separate ways.
Now I have come full circle in finding more followers of Danu. I
now serve as a Tyr to the Eldar Timone. I council with the knowledge of a man with many
experiences, and the heart of Danu.
