THE WORld
"Before Time began,
Light and Dark engaged in The Eternal Struggle - destroying them both,
and birthing the Universe"
-Librium: 2187 Fae
The World of Varian has a rich and bountiful history of heroic triumphs and great calamity. A world besieged by the endless wars between Light and Dark.
3500 years have passed since the Dragon Empire fell, during which time the Realm has seen great prosperity and Growth across all three continents. The Elves - refugees from a shattered world, have retreated to their tranquil forests in Ettinvale to rebuild their lost dynasty. The Dwarves in Valkir erected cavernous cities of metal and stone which sprout out of their snow-covered mountain peaks. While the Humans in Chandar opened free trade with the Realm. Their ingenuity and diverse nature made them comfortable and strategic partners with most races.
But peace could not last forever. The Lotus Plague - a terrible blight that kills without mercy spread into Elven lands until infecting the City of Garamond, where Dwarven Prince Thronn Shattermaul had been a diplomat. The Elves moved in without mercy, quelling the City and its citizens in order to contain the outbreak.
40 years have passed since the death of the Dwarven heir which marked the beginning of the War of Tears. As old hatreds between the two races now reach a boiling point, word has spread of other threats rising across the Realm, both new and ancient...
Welcome to Varian...
The unfated ones
Behold!
The bane of mortal and beast, the banished Lord of Despair.
The Dragon King comes once again, with fang and claw to rend and tear.
His breath will burn the land to ash, his roar cause mothers to travail.
The shadow of his wings will cause the hearts of men and elves to quail.
Yet Hope remains as faint as breath; a small glimmer of a way to rise.
I see the five Unfated Ones, with power to withstand the tides.
Outside the bounds of Fates cold touch, these few can tread the path to bring.
Salvation to dying lands, and seal the coming of The Dragon King...
-Prophecy of the Unfated
THE Master
ADAM THE GM
"Wait, you're not a hero... What are you even doing here?
Oh right, you're basically God around here.
Okay fine, I guess you can have a bio. Just keep it short."
I'm Adam the GM, but I'm sure you've already heard of me...
There are many Heroes in my world, but even fewer Unfated Heroes. Beyond that there are lesser deities, then gods, then gods of those gods. The chain of command goes on for a while, but even the highest rung of the ladder pales in comparison to my supreme majesty. That's right, I'm a capital-G GOD among gods! I am ALL POWERFUL! I AM -
"Hey! Hey you! No one cares man. And I said keep it short.
I don't know why we even keep you around..."
THE HEROeS
CEDRIC CROW
CHAMPION OF THE DOWNTRODDEN
Hey guys this is Cedric... I heard a voice that told me I was supposd to tell you all about my journy before meeting the heroes. Here is the story of Cedric Crow.
Before I was Cedric I was a weak littel guy named Brandobaris and lived with his fluffy cat Mr. Sniffles. Oh I loved how fluffy he was. Brando was weak, got bullyed... blah blah blah... you know the story. Then they killed Mr. Sniffles and that’s when I was finally born. After I killed - I mean after the bullys “disappeared”, I decided to lay low a little bit. That’s when the real fun began.
I ended up in a place called Xanadu. There they loved me so much they made me the Grand Wizard. Some guy named Sebastian Silverkin was jelous of this. One day I had a meeting with the Grand Majestrix lady to show off what I could do. When I was about to show her everything Sebastian tried to manipulate some of the portal things. I knew he wasn’t going to give up so of course I made my own littel escape and jumped into the portal but not before throwing a dagger at him. Ha ha I got him real good. He's probably dead!
The portal brought me to a very green iland, where I was finally able to meet my Great Grandmother. She was super old and told many stories. She kept saying that one day I will be the Elder of the island and I will be looked up to. I was really happy because that ment I would get taller. I went to find some food when I saw smoke. I ran to where it was when I saw my village being attacked by a bitch named Clara. I fought to save my Great Grandmother but it didn’t work. She was stabbed in the chest. Good thing I got away though. I tried to find Clara to get my revenge.
My clues lead me to Tull where I met my Grandfather. He was a big man who rode the seas. He tought me how to sail. I’m really good at it. He always had this thing he called the Eukalala. It was so shiny I just wanted to touch it. My sister Connie kept telling me not to becuase he would get really mad but I really wanted to. One night I picked it up to play and I dropped it. These crazy tenticles came out and started grabbing everyone and pulling them into it. It was CRAZY!!! I didn’t want to be one of them so I dipped out of there pretty quick.
After that happened I decided to stay in the shadows. I found a place under the Citadel. There I built a stachew of myself and was able to look at it every night. One night I was found by my father. He was a lord. His name was Lord Thakrak. He brought me in front of this white dead dragon guy who talked to me. It was really weird. He told me I was going to be a spy and tell him everything about what these adventurers were doing. I was to gather all the infermation. That was right up my alley!
I was undercover in a town called There following the ways of Bahamut when I heard about Clara’s wheresabouts. I broke into Longstride Bay where I fought her and was finally able to get my revenge. I shot an arrow right in her head. That is where I met the other Heroes and well... you know my story from there!
ANMON "FEAR"
CHILD OF THE VOID
ELDRITCH BLAST! ELDRITCH BLAST! ELDRITCH BLAST! ELDRITCH BLAST! ELDRITCH BLAST!
...Ahem.
Book of Shadows
29th of Raven Queen, 1 Heroes
"After yesterday’s events I considered it prudent to write down everything I currently know about my past. I’m still so shaken by what I’ve seen, by what has been revealed to me. From now on I will keep records of the things I find out, to help me make sense of my life.
I have been in the Citadel my entire life. I never knew life outside of this desert before I left and met the “Unfated Ones”. I was found by Thakrak, who took me in, here in the Citadel. He gave me a home and cared for me as his own. When I turned 10 he started my training to become a warlock. It was at about this time I decided to start worshipping the Traveler.
My training went well, and at the age of 15 I made a pact with my patron. I chose Belial. I kept training with Thakrak until I was 25. Most of my time after my training was spent researching in the libraries of the Magic Quarter. Every now and then the Netherlord, the ruler of the Citadel, would send me on small missions to gather research. I never left the desert though, and was never far from home.
I didn't know about my parentage before. Until I went on yesterday’s mission? Thakrak said I wasn’t ready, and I might agree. That temple, those skeletons, all those burned tieflings… The vision. Seeing the Traveler, seeing my mother, seeing myself as a baby… I was apparently born during the last stand of the Silver Dragon, hundreds of years ago. My people were burned, named betrayers, their Temple destroyed, but the Traveler saved me. He made me save myself. It's all so confusing. I still don’t know about my father, or why the Traveler chose to save me, just me. When I find out more I will resume this diary."
FILLIUS SENNECK
DRUID ELDER
OF THE MOON
Hello! My name is Fillius Senneck from the Island of Myndarrah. I have lived alone wandering for a couple of months now searching for the one they call Clara Longstride. Here is my story:
I was once in a Tribe full of many like myself. We were small, and mostly family. My Great Grandmother was the Elder and she was very wise. Under her were my brother and sisters, as well as all of their children. Then there was me, and my lover Tygrin.
My Tribe never knew of Tygrin as they would never be able to understand. I was always meant to become the next Elder and pass it on through the blood line. It’s expected to mate and have many kin as an Elder. With druids like us, we can Shapeshift into most animals, but if we stay in that form for too long - then we can never shift back. We have not had to shift in many years. The last one to ever do it was my Grandfather Orcillius. My Grandfather shifted once to an orca and has never been able to shift back. He is now our transportation for the younger members from Myndarrah to the mainland and back. One night I went out for a hunt with Tygrin. While sharing an intimate moment, I noticed smoke coming from the main village. I got there as fast as I could. What I saw, was horrific...
Clara Longstride was there - commanding death to the adults and cages for the children. Her orcish slavers and tiefling warlocks were killing my siblings and loading the children in cages as if they were animals. I ran out of the bushes and attempted to save as many as I could. After a fight with Clara I tried to cover my Great Grandmother from her attack. Next thing I remember was feeling a sharp pain in my side. I looked down to see her sword stuck in my side and through Great Grandmother. I was left for dead.
When I came to, my village was burnt to the ground. I had been bandaged up with druid remedies, but not a living soul in sight. I searched all the bodies and everyone was dead. Tygrin and the children were nowhere to be seen. I buried all the bodies and gave them the druidic burial they deserved.
My Grandfather tried to chase their fleet, but lost the trail. He came back and has since been my form of transportation. I stayed away until I was healed up, mending myself. Now I am ready to find the living members of my tribe and to kill Clara...
I have searched many leads and whispers, getting me one step closer to finding them. I was given information that I would find what I seek in Slavers Bay. That is where I met Belrun. With his help and the help of our other friend Ron - we made it out of Slavers Bay. We agreed to help each other to find the answers we seek. We have been following leads and working small jobs for coin in order to get our meals and supplies. When needing transportation I call for my Grandfather and he takes us wherever we need to go.
Since then I have been fighting with the other Unfated Ones... but I guess you know the rest of my story.
ARATAl
THE ASTRAL WIZARD
There is little known about me, but don’t worry - I think I can share a little bit of information with you. I am the Grand Wizard to the Grand Magistrix on my home world of Xanadu. It’s a very mysterious place to outsiders, and all I can tell you is that it's shaped like a dome. We don’t necessarily have what others call a sky, but we are able to use crystals to make the illusion of stars and sunlight. On Xanadu no one goes without. Magic feeds and sustains us in every way imaginable. It’s pretty fun being a wizard and having the ability to manipulate what I want. We are able to use the crystals and see others through “peepholes” and view other worlds. Although legend says we can’t leave Xanadu through these peepholes, there has been talk that some have been able to come through them and visit Xanadu.
Throughout my life I had a colleague named Sebastian Silverkin. We grew up together but over time our friendship turned into rivalry. Sebastian was getting a little jealous that I was mastering wizardry a little more than him. Through a lot of his life Sebastian was trying to figure out a way to traverse into different Universes and Planes. Got pretty close too... Little did he know I was already close to achieving this feat.
One day I was meeting with the Grand Magistrix. I had started opening portals with the crystals and in time I was able to open a portal to any Universe you could imagine. Sebastian had seen this and in fit of jealous rage, started manipulating the polarity of the Portals. A battle ensued between us. Evenly matched, the stalemate ended when Sebastian put the lives of innocent people in danger. As I went to save them, I was sucked into the Portal...
When I emerged from the Portal, I fell into a place called "The Underdark". To my surprise, it turned out that it was a world, beneath another one! When I came to the surface of Varian, I saw a real night sky for the first time... I later was found in a cell by the other “Heroes”. They helped me escape from the cell and I helped them with a little deal. The rest is for you to learn about.
BELRUn
THE PIRATE ANGEL
You want to know about me? The story of Belrun?
Where to begin...?
I was orphaned as a child. Not ever knowing of my parents. I was left with my Grandfather on the island known as Tull. He took care of me, if that’s what you want to call it. I also grew up with my sister Connie. We took care of each other; she helped me through a lot. One day my Grandfather went crazy and kept beating me. Connie and I were going to escape together, but I needed to protect her from His wrath.
My Grandfather would play this special instrument known to us as the Eukalala. I had no idea of its power or what it could bring to the island. One night in my drunken stupor I decided to play the instrument, but before I could finish the tune I fell and broke one of the strings on it. That’s when everything happened... everyone on the island started to get absorbed into the Eukalala. I was frightened, trying to fix it, and then Grandfather came. He came at me with rage and fury, calling me idiotic, useless, and a waste of space. I had no choice but to kill Him. Kill my own flesh and blood. Survival of the fittest you may call it...
Fast forward through life and I awaken in a cell with people I don’t know, however they helped me escape the cell. I learned of their names, Ron, a scared man, and Fillius, a Druid. I had no idea that meeting these two would change the course of my life. We escaped with the assistance of Ron, though we never saw him again. Fillius and I became close friends and traveled everywhere together.
We have been through many battles, met many comrades along the way, partaken in the goods of towns. We were later joined by others and became known as the Unfated Ones. I have no idea what the title means, all I know is that we will undoubtedly be having more adventures in the days to come. Some good, some bad, and some... that might be best if we don't talk about.
Yes, the story of Belrun can be long and sometimes repetitive, but you can always rely on the Lightbearer to bring peace, wherever he can.