*Bran stares at the dissipating visage of Dragon Reach within his palm as it returns to it's true owner*
Aye, I wielded Dragon Reach proudly and bled my foes well with it's cold steel.
The Lovely Lady sin bestowed this great honor upon me several moons past to which I offer a sincere expression of my gratitude.
I was a newcomer to Wayside, but I found the familiar bloodlusts of war in these lands. T'was a violent environment a sell-sword such as myself could make a living.
I wielded my master's bloodstained blade and wore my master's armor proudly in the honor of his name the night I had arrived, but I found that I was less than half the man he was and could not fell even a single Goblin with my current power (swinging 3's). Though, I moved freely and defended myself well in the armor of my fallen master, I did not have the power in my sword arm to contribute greatly in Wayside's efforts to beat back the marauding scourge of undead that night. The hordes of the dead were defeated sometime later allowing for adventures and quests to resume.
I had then ventured out to begin my search for blood, gold and glory in Wayside.
Rather than using my master's sword, I relied upon my wit to resolve issues that arose.
The other new adventurers and I had been rallied for a quest to test our mettle. We were tasked with the removal of an encampment of Goblins which had been harassing a village, yet what we found upon arrival into the Goblin's lands were green-skinned oafs and buffoons who couldn't harm a fly... unless trained and commanded to do so. In place of simply drawing and quartering the green blighters, I had led the party to parley with the simpletons, which we found was the more entertaining and lucrative choice. The Elven instructor within our company tricked one of the Goblins into trading a Gold "Shiney" for her Copper "Shiney", a humorous display of trickery. I had chosen to listen to the plight of the Goblins to find out why they had established their raiding camps in villager lands, which led to the realization that they had done so by mistake and were leaderless. Their master was a slain Dragoness, one whose name struck the scorn of the seasoned adventurers in our party. In any case, creatures like these Greenskins were weak minded, yet were wholly loyal to those who they pledged allegiance to. I demanded such allegiance of the Greenskins, they bent their knees to us and were now our sworn agents.
I intend to call upon them one day when the time is right.
T'was the second day of my first days adventuring within the kingdom of Wayside when Lady Sin had so kindly deigned to me to offer Dragon Reach to a lesser man such as myself, to which I could not refuse. I felt the power of great Kings and slayers of times bygone within my grasp, the stuff of true Legends and warriors were imbued within the blade. I found myself within the company of the the Great merchants Joseph and Emrick, honest men who speak the same language I do: Coin. The party of newcomers (including myself) were sent off with the Greatsword wielding wizard merchant Emrick to attempt a perilous ritual to fortify the strength of said Greatsword to a power almost unthinkable (+4!). It was unbeknownst to the company of hirelings the danger that would arise on this task, yet we somehow came out alive and several gold pieces richer. The ritual to enchant the blade transported us into a misted veil, dark shrouds quickly descended upon us and attacked with ferocity several leagues greater than anything us fodder could have reasonably been expected to deal with. I held my own, but I had taken one blow from one of the shrouds and was immediately felled despite having the best protection available from my steel mail and Greathelm. The mushroom maiden healer within our company had saved me before I was struck down and I found myself in the fray once more beating back the horde of shrouds with the power of Dragon Reach. Needless to say, this quest had shown the humbling consequences of overconfidence, yet the great feeling of overcoming great odds.
Sometime around midday was when I had joined a team of newcomers and veterans such as Grimshaw and others to intercept a slaving operation within Wayside that the half-men, or Dwarves to be more cordial, were conducting in the area. We soon found that this was no mere slaving operation, but rather was a plot to besiege the estates of Baron Bluewater with kegs of blackpowder hauled by their slaves. The Dwarves had intended to load the cargo of a seafaring vessel with blackpowder to then sail into the port of Ser Bluewater's estate with the slaves on-board as the hapless martyrs to their dishonorable cause. I felt the rage of battle as I held Dragon Reach so powerfully in my grasp, I cut several beards of the fallen Dwarves who had refused to bend their arrogant stubby knees to our righteous cause with the cold steel of Dragon Reach. It is an honor to be slain by a masterwork blade such as this, but I offered them no such honor to their ancestors in death and took their proud beards as my trophy. After foiling the Dwarves' plot, I recalled a maxim my master and the masters before him spoke to newly bled squires in our now disbanded knightly order:
" Tis' not the blade that makes the man, tis' the man that makes the blade ".
Later that day more than half of the adventuring types of Wayside were sent out to investigate the warehouses rumored to be infested with undead, I proved my mettle and stood my ground against several of the larger foes that emerged. Once again, I had overcome great odds several leagues higher than could be expected of one with my experience (of course giving due credit to the other adventurers and the power ofDragon Reach). With the power of Dragon Reach, I had amassed enough gold that day to purchase an auctioned object of power enchanted with the spell of Magic Storm, my first magical item.
Late into the day I had felt fatigue finally overtake my joints and limbs, my master's armor was heavy indeed. Unbeknownst to myself of a final battle to come, I had disarmed myself completely and prepared myself for a night of rest, merriment and sinful gambling in the tavern. However, such desires were shattered upon the rallying cries of Baron Bluewater summoning the troops to meet our steel with the Dwarven horde at our gates. Twice scorned by the ire of half men that day I had little patience to offer, nor did I have the good sense to re-armor myself. In my order's tabard, sleeping garments, bunny slippers and Greathelmm I had joined the fray and fought with the divine blessing of Fortuna who had spared me from maiming or serious injury that night. I swung Dragon Reach freely using it's powers to my advantage during the battle, I charged the enemy lines as if I were still adorned in my heavy mail and I risked my life and limb for the promise of loot which I amassed a sizable horde.
I shall never forget the memories had on those days of high adventure within the Kingdom of Wayside and never shall I forget the Legendary blade of Dragon Reach which had struck down the many foes that stood before me.
Honorable Mentions:
Emrick the Wizard
Joseph the Great Trade Master
Lady Sin the fair
Fox & his company
Elle
Raj - 21 Ogres Player
Per Aspera, Ad Astra
-Bran the Bloodthirsted Challenger