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Lord Docsi returned from the Coronation of King Dark Tigger to find his lands desimated and his populace dead or scattered to the winds. The keep of Riverstone stood burned and abandoned and the only greeting his party received was given from the rotting corpses of both human and orc kind. Everywhere the grizzled dwarf looked signs of battle met his eye. A curse slipped from his bearded lips as he surveyed the carnage.
He sent forth his trusted scout and wife, the elf Dair Silverbow, to search out the river guardian who dwelled at the well spring from which flowed the river that gave name to the lands. She returned some time later from Haven Forest with the sad tale that the guardian had been slain. Signs of battle littered the trails of the forest and Dair reported that even the forest itself had risen up in defiance of the orc's attack. None of the green skinned raiders had survived, but neither had the populace.
Docsi's party began restoration of the keep and he sent his daughter, Sierra, back into the southlands to report to King Dark Tigger what had occured. She returned some months later with a group of gypsies from the King's own household to aid in the repairs. The lands had just begun to return to normal when the time of the dragonmaster festival was to occur. Docsi and his family met the caravan of the King and Sirs Forrest and Everlast, Lady Cynisca, and the party from the neighboring lands of Five Banners. Others arrived for the festival from the other lands of the north. People from Midnight Rain, Caladonia, Recropolis and others from the outlying lands of Dreadmoor. All lent a hand and the festival came off well with many artisans from the lands arriving to display the fruits of their labors.
Docsi and the King spoke of the trouble that had beset the land and the King allowed the members of Tiganii de la Luna to remain in the north. They were welcomed as family and the Turtle Clan gained many new members. But the trouble was far from over.
Reports came from Haven Forest almost daily of the activity of a group of undead haunting the paths of the woods. The whispered name of "Shadow Chorus" fell on many ears. Reports of infiltration of orcs and goblin kind also came in. The Turtle Clan prepared to meet this new threat and sent word to friends from the Mystic Mountains to send aid. That aid arrived just in the nick of time.
A large force of orcs entered Haven Forest from the north and an army of undead was spotted entering the lands from the east. Docsi prepared what few troops he had to meet the coming assault. He positioned his troops to guard the bridge crossing the river that separated Riverstone from Haven Forest and the wait began. It was not long before sounds of battle were heard coming from the forest itself. Even the trees were seen to move with a power of their own. Scouts were sent into the forest and returned with reports that the orcs and undead were killing each other off. Docsi's forces breathed a sigh of relief. They met with little resistance as they scoured the woods of survivors from the two competing forces.
Jubilant, they returned to Riverstone Keep. That jubilation died on thier lips as dark reptillian wings were spotted circling the towers of Riverstone. A large sable dragon landed upon the roof of the keep and spat vile words at Docsi's force. "The lands of Riverstone are now mine!" the dragon shouted. Not wishing to give up his lands so easily, Docsi ordered the charge.
The battle lasted throughout the remainder of the day and many died as the dragon spat its vile black death upon the field. It appeared as though the dragon had spoken true. Pulling back his forces just before dark, Docsi laid plans for one final assualt. Lord Torgier and Lord Logan led the charge and the final battle commenced. The army fought long into the cloudy night and just as it seemed Riverstone would fall the clouds parted and the full moon shown bright upon the field. With the arrival of the mistress of the night sky, a strange thing happened. All the gypsies of Tiganii de la Luna and those who had past contact with the King fell to the ground and wrythed as though in pain. The transformation was over in less than a heartbeat and soon the field was covered with the were-forms of the animals each person resembled most. The were-creatures attacked in mass and the dragon was finally overcome. Its dying words were spat in hatred..."you may have defeated me, but my brethren will soon come."
But now the secret was out. The gypsies of Tiganii de la Luna were were-creatures and many of Docsi's folk, himself included, had been touched by the King himself and shared in the curse. Or was it a salvation? Any other would-be invaders will find the People of Riverstone, the Turtle Clan, Tiganii de la Luna, and others to be a force worthy of respect.
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Duke, Squire Docsi HardAnvil
aka the Mad Dwarf
GMR of Dreadmoor
Squire to Sir Logan T. Black
Clan Chieftain of the Turtle Clan
Ship's Surgeon, HMS "Turtle's Revenge"
Gaslight Sky Pirate
"Dwarves and mountains have one thing in common: It takes an almighty hammer and a tremendous amount of persistence to overcome them."
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