Darian Cedarwood

For campaign information, see:

http://www.jmtmeyer.com/Games/DnD/index.html

For all of his 26 years, the Baumdiener has been the only thing that Darian has ever known. The twisting threads of fate led a Baumdiener Seeker team to steal Darian away from his parents. Done at an early age, Darian has no memories, contact, or even a name as connection to his birth parents. Instead, his entire life has been spent learning to revere and interact with nature.

Growing up in the forest, and raised by a collection of druids who could loosely be called a “family,” Darian quickly learned to use his natural charisma and charm to blend in and make friends. Unlike the outside world, where Halflings and Dwarves and Elves and Humans often struggle to maintain cordial relationships, the structure of the Baumdiener reduced the differences in race to nothing more than a different height or skin color.

This racial blending, however, did not deter the Halfling blood flowing through Darian’s veins from affecting his actions. As he matured, his Halfling heritage began to manifest itself, and he became fond of humor and trickery. To many in the Baumdiener, including other Halflings, this was a little unsettling, as they had been used to dutiful service to nature, without passion or humor. Some of the elder druids even talked of a forced exile, hoping the pure experience of nature would help Darian “grow out” of being a Halfling. However, for the most part, Darian was able to control his impulses, preventing his tricks from causing any great harm.

With his boisterous nature and playful attitude towards life, it was easy for many to simply pigeonhole Darian as another mediocre individual in the Baumdiener, an uneasy statement considering the high standard of devotion and character required. However, in his studies, Darian showed a great deal of insight and natural wisdom. When he put his mind to his studies, there were few students that could be his equal. A complete and utter devotion to his studies would have allowed him to master his training in a few short years. But that level of devotion would have taken time away from planning practical jokes.

There have been a few hiccups in Darian’s training, however. His low strength meant that his prowess with the naturally low-tech weapons approved of by the Baumdiener was far below that of his peers. Darian’s wielding of the trademark Baumdiener scimitar was clumsy, slow, and altogether ineffective. And his tendency towards goodness and righteousness, while not exclusively forbidden by the Baumdiener (as he was still neutral towards the balance between the laws of man and the entropy of nature), actually hindered his initial attempts to tap nature’s well of power used in the casting of druidic spells. These problems, however, were overcome. First, the ranger Elston Thornhand, a regular visitor to the Baumdiener encampment (if not a welcome one), was able to aid in Darian’s training, allowing him to wield his weapons skillfully. Furthermore, in addition to his affinity for tricks, the Halfling racial skill with slings and rocks began to emerge, making Darian a formidable sling user. Second, once Darian was able to tap nature’s power for use in magical incantations, he was found to be as powerful as he was smart. Unfortunately, some of the spells he gained access to were put to use in his trickery.

Like many in the Baumdiener, Darian has gained the service of an animal companion. Found wandering in the woods, apparently separated from the service of a traveling merchant, Darian quickly forged a bond with a collie he named Ciea (pronounced “Sigh-ah”). Trained to even bear a small person into combat, Ciea quickly became a close friend and ally of Darian. The two are rarely apart, and Darian continues to improve and train his friend’s abilities each and every day.

Darian’s experiences outside the camp have been few. He has accompanied Infusers on their journeys to find suitable flowers and herbs to infuse with magical energies. He has accompanied Keepers as they inspect groves of trees for blight or injury. His most eventful, journey, however, occurred when he accompanied a group of Watchers in a routine patrol that became anything but routine. Stumbling across a war band of orcs, the druids followed them, waiting for the opportunity to strike. In a quick and decisive battle, the orcs were defeated, and their axes were destroyed to prevent them from doing harm to the trees.

The battle of that day, combined with Elston’s stories of the grand cities of men, has infused Darian with a great deal of wanderlust. While he still loves and reveres his natural home under the trees, he wishes to see more of the world, and to see what other adventures wait for him. The will of the Baumdiener, however, is a hard will to break.

Someday in the future, it will be time for Darian to take the Trials, and become a druid in full standing with the Baumdiener. While the many paths of nature stand open to Darian, this has only increased his confusion as to the path that he should take. His Halfling blood calls towards the path of the Seeker, while his wisdom calls towards becoming an Infuser. The path of the Keeper beckons him through his love of nature, as does the adventure and excitement of being a Watcher.

Complicating matters, Darian is currently journeying with Elston to the south, prompted by a goblin lair that had been terrorizing innocents in the nearby farm fields. Learning the Elston was more than a simple woodsman and had successfully passed the Trials with no Baumdiener training has cast a pall over the eyes of Darian. While his powers and skills are certainly different than Elston’s, the realization that an outsider, no matter how skilled, could successfully pass the Trials cuts to the core of the only beliefs Darian has ever known. Looking for solstice, Darian has continued journeying with Elston, attempting to reconfigure his views and outlook towards the future.

Solstice comes in many strange forms. Darian accompanied Elston to the small Elvin hamlet that was his childhood home. While Elston reacquainted himself with his mother, Darian took time to explore the wonders set before him. Unlike the druids, who simply serve as guardians and keepers of nature, the elves can best be described as tenders. Using magic as a precise tool, the elves care for the trees and land as if they have all the time in the world, which they do.

Also present in the village was an Elvin girl by the name of Celia. Nearly entranced by her flute playing, Darian quickly became interested in her. Their time was short, however, as an unexpected attack by Drow elves ended with one Drow dead and Celia in the hands of the Drow. Filling with rage and fear, Darian hurried back to the Elvin village to tell of the attack.

Quickly, plans were hatched to recover Celia from an unthinkable fate at the hands of the Drow. Elston was dispatched to the north, and Darian was provided provisions and told to head towards the City of Redrick posthaste. Without asking for further instruction, and without receiving any, Darian began a journey across the plain. Along the way, aided by a set of Boots of Speed for Ciea, Darian saw countless fields and plains, and avoided an encounter with a deadly cockatrice. The cockatrice had already claimed the life of a wolf, but to kill a natural creature, even one created through the powers of magic, for simply doing what it needs to do to survive, grated harshly against the endless teachings Darian had endured.

Darian arrived in the City of Redrick on the fifth day, and was more than a little awestruck. Receiving a note from Elston, via messenger pigeon, Darian began his search for an entrance to the fabled Underdark. Coming to a large church devoted to the worship of Kord, a ritual Darian found quite curious, the Halfling managed to make his way into the catacombs. Finding a hidden passage in a coffin, along with a trio of animated skeletons, Darian began his descent, more determined than ever, eventually encountering a magic wall and a grick. Neither Ciea’s sharp teeth nor a summoned bear’s claws could pierce the hide of the creature, but Darian’s magical dagger (received from Elston’s mother) managed to do so. In a fierce battle, Darian defeated the creature, but was injured and weary as a result.

After resting in an enormous cave with great stone pillars, Darian continued to explore the underground world he had stumbled upon. Traveling for a bit, and avoiding a party of dwarves, Darian came upon a city that existed in this underground world. Disguising himself as well as he could, Darian entered the squalid streets of the city, surrounded by Dwarves, Halflings, and Drow. Seeking information, and careful not to get a knife between the ribs, Darian “befriended” a Drow who had sparked the ire of a Dwarf by playing the two off of each other. While this lead to the Dwarf’s death, Darian began learning information from the Drow. But his conversation was stifled by cries of “Fresh meat!” from outside.

The “Fresh meat” turned out to be none other than a Priest of Kord, who had undoubtedly discovered Darian’s handiwork (a broken lock) in the catacombs and had been attacked and ambushed while he investigated. For a few moments, Darian considered doing nothing; the rescue of Celia from the Drow was paramount. But in his heart, Darian felt more than a little responsible for the Priest’s plight, and quickly hatched a simple plan to free him.

Addressing the crowd, and bringing them to a fevered pitch, Darian explained that this “meal” found a way into the Underdark, so their must be a way back out. And that way out would have even more “meals.” While this talk disgusted Darian to the core of his being, it managed to excite the crowd, and Darian sent them off in the wrong direction. Freeing the priest, Darian informed the rest of the individuals present that he was to use the priest to find his path down, and he would return with even more “food.” Roughly shoving the priest out of the city, Darian told the priest to head back to the surface and rally the town guard, for the denizens of the Underdark would soon be returning to the surface.

That’s when the priest mentioned that the magic wall previously encountered was solid as cold stone. Darian woefully accompanied him back to the wall, and found this to be true.

After resting for a bit with Brother Calvin, and fashioning a bit of disguise, the pair headed back towards the underground city. Along the way, they discovered a nest of giant spiders, which Darian inspected and quickly retreated from. Returning to the city, they were greeted roughly, with the populace wanting to know where the meat had run off to.

Leading a mob of people back to the spider cave, Darian watched the group get attacked and paralyzed by the spiders... but rescued those that he could. Nursing them back to health, Darian asked for the location of the drow leaders, and headed deeper into the Underdark.

Along the way, the pair encountered a vampire-like creature before reaching a city filled with warrior drow, and dwarves and halflings serving as slaves. The drow looked like they were preparing for war, and as Darian prepared to spy on their plans, he was reunited with Elston, who had made his way into the Underdark through the mountains. Further investigation revealed the path to the Lich King of the drow, a path Darian followed in the hopes that Celia was still alive.

Closing in on the center of drow power, Darian, Elston, and Brother Calvin encountered a ghostly figure. Initially hostile, Darian pleaded with the Guardian, describing the quest that had been undertaken why it must be completed, and finally professing his devotion to the rescue of Celia. Impressed, and perhaps even touched by Darian's plight, the Guardian did not initiate hostilities, but rather gave Darian a Cloak of Etherealness. He also passed on a bit of bad news: Like the other elven children, Celia had been transformed into a vampire in order to resurrect the Spider Queen of the drow.

Following the Guardian's instructions, the party set off to confront Celia, and carefully "defeated" her by removing the diadem from her head without harming her. Along with S'benith, another freed vampire in a similar plight to Celia's, the group found a path free from the Underdark. Riding Ciea as fast as possible, Darian, Celia, and S'benith made for the Druid camps.

There, Darian was overcome by a wave of change. Unexpectedly, he was cast into the Druidic trials, learning how to change his body to match that of an animal, as well as becoming a full member of the Baumdiener. But he also found the true neutral nature of his Order to be cold and aloof when it came to rescuing the two girls from their plight of undeath. Steeling himself, and realizing that he was on his own for the first time, Darian made his way towards Elston's -- and Celia's -- hometown.

There he learned of the resurrection of the drow goddess Lolth, and that only a champion of the Elvish god Corellion Larethian could stand before the rising tide of darkness. Brother Calvin and Elston, who had arrived behind Darian, agreed to aid in the quest.

Brother Calvin and S'benith set out for S'benith's northern home, a path that she chose. And Elston, Celia, Darian, and Ciea set out to find the Elvish champion. Travelling only by night to protect Celia, Darian began to realize both his dedication to his current quest as well as a growing change in the ideological differences between he and Elston. When Darian killed a wolf that had attacked, Elston insisted on repayment to nature. Darian refused, saying the wolf had made its choice, and that nature's will had decided the fate.

Nevertheless, the difference did not permeate into their friendship. Taking in the sights of the vast eastern plains, the group continued the nighttime trek. Elston managed to find a horse, perhaps to fill the void that had been created when his ranger animal companion had been slain. Darian witnessed a stampeding herd of buffalo. Celia remained a beautiful jewel in the heart of Darian.

Trouble came on the 9th night, however. The discovery of a gnoll corpse had sent Ciea into a fit; the discovery of a large warband of gnolls bode only destruction. Charging into the battle, with another unknown force attacking from the other sides of the gnolls, Darian, Ciea, Celia, and Elston fought bravely, taking wounds but returning the difference many times over. As the battle ended, and the gnoll cheif fell from a volley of arrows as he was attempting to escape, Darian prepared to meet the other attackers.

Ciea

One of the hallmarks of the druidic lifestyle is a close bond with nature. Because of this, many druids adopt animal companions. Unlike a wizard’s familiar or a summoned creature, however, the companion does not follow the druid through a magical incantation or blind devotion. Rather, the relationship is one of mutual trust, respect, and intelligence. A druid who continually endangers or abandons a companion will be quickly surprised when the animal does not leap to protect its masters. In extreme cases, the bond between the druid and the companion can even be broken.

Animal companions are granted by nature to those druids who have shown a strong devotion and love to it. Some druids prefer to find their companions in the wild; others pray to nature to deliver a companion. Either way, the companion comes with special abilities granted by the bond. There are ancient legends of druids able to forge bonds with multiple animal companions, but the knowledge and procedure of this ability has been lost. Someday, the knowledge may be recovered, but for now, the bond can only exist between one druid and one companion.

Darian discovered his current companion, while wandering through the woods. A collie, separated from the wagon-train of a traveling merchant, was in poor health. Darian nursed the dog back to health, and bid it on its way. But the collie refused to go. Much to Darian’s surprise, he had developed the bond with the animal. Naming it Ciea (“sigh-ah”) after a childhood friend, Darian continued to work with and train the dog. Ciea is now a faithful companion, accompanying Darian everywhere he goes.

Ursaring

Some druids are born with innate abilities. Others develop those abilities as a “quirk” of training or practice. Sometimes the difference is nothing more than a slightly different way to swing a sword or an altered speech pattern. Sometimes it means that the druid will prefer one climate of nature more than another. Sometime it affects the way the druid accesses to the magical power provided by nature itself.

Darian is affected by such a quirk. Unlike most druids, the casting of a “Summon Nature’s Ally” spell does not bring a random animal of the type desired by Darian. Instead, it always brings a specific animal. Unlike an animal companion, however, this animal will blindly follow the directives set forth by Darian, and the bond can only be broken by the creature’s death. As Darian is still discovering the limits of his magical prowess, he is still discovering the limitations and abilities this provides.

Ursaring was first called to Darian during his battle with the Grick. A powerful black bear from the northern forests, Ursaring is a valient fighter, not resenting his role as a summoned creature. He has accepted the link with Darian as a blessing and an honor, and will fight to the best of his ability when called.

Aeridal

When Darian needed to get Celia across a river without the help of a bridge or the ability to simply swim across, he looked to nature's allies again. Calling upon the kingdom of animals for a winged assistant to help aid in the crossing, Darian was rewarded with the giant eagle known as Aeridal.

A leader of groups of eagle soldiers, Aeridal is well-respected as both a powerful fighter and proud leader. Slightly disoriented by the summoning by Darian, Aeridal quickly realized the situation. He had been chosen to serve in another way. This greatly bothered Aeridal as while he was summoned away, his troops and family would be without his protection. Even though the summoning typically lasts only a short while, Aeridal had hoped his prowess and defense of the eagle aeries would have been rewarded in a more glorious manner.