Random Journey

Riding through the area he found himself at the borders of the fens. A specter was said to be lurking in the marshy region, the spirit or demon wraith of some envious girl who tried drowning some else. According to the tales an ugly girl known as Mediza Roguewolf got envious of a pair of curvy nuns sent to lecture a school of girls. Their beauty enraged Mediza who tried killing each one separately within the 4 and a half leagues of fen swamps. On the other side he could see the four leagues of forest, which borders the high cities of Evolving-Windshades. At least three of them could be spotted hovering above the ground once a year during autumn. Moving on to the forest his thoughts went to those poor souls who died at the hands of monsters, the specters, wild animals, drowning, quicksand, and the elements. While entering the forest full of tall pines, oaks, waterkeepers, old-men-gapers he spotted two squirrel colonies running amuck on the branches. One of the branches held up a fat orange wild cat eyeing these critters. As he passed the colonies of squirrels he recalled an old wife's tale. Each squirrel represents the reincarnation of a soul that was lost in these woods. 

Going deeper he caught sight of a fight going on in between the trees. Three vampire spawn, three warrior survivors, one Cleaving Reaper, an Angel Dame, a Berserker, a pair of Troll Warrior-Brutes engaged in battle with one another. It was non of his concern as they fought further away from him. He could barely make out their armor, clothing, and appearances through the trees. While his own presence was not known to them, a few squirrels eyed him for a few moments before scurrying away. Not caring about the outcome or who went after him the rider went onward another two leagues past the Evolving Wilds. Afternoon dragged on as he rode deeper into the woods. Astride his own steed the rider came upon a clearing with a campsite. Just as he entered the clearing a zombie berserker of the most fowl nature charged out of the forest. From his own steed the rider could tell this berserker zombie also had a form of rabies that could be contracted through biting. Backing away he caught a better look at the campsite in the clearing. Two tents made up this campsite along with a lean-to. One brown-green skinned troll in skins, and chainmail emerged from one of the tents. From the other tent a Huntress of Oblivion's Hunger Order emerged in white gold, and red lined robes. She covered her hair in a tight cap wrap. Armed only with a curved sword this Huntress appeared hungry for whoever disturbed her sleep. Both threw distrustful angry glances before the berserker bit the troll with a rabid bite somehow. It had charged after whoever emerged force, and it was the unarmed troll. 

This troll bashed the berserker zombie into the earth covered in its blood. The rider made all the efforts to calm his steed down hoping nothing else would emerge out of the forest with a rabid disease. His own weapons swung a little as the steed moved in panic. As for the troll its attitude was more of anger, and disbelief. Accusing the Huntress of letting him get bitten he chased after her. Fear and anger gripped the Huntress due to the accusation. She raced into the woods enticing the troll to give chase. Gaining control over his steed the rider races after both of them. A bitten humanoid must be liquidated at all costs. His own faction did not permit anyone to live after getting bitten by rabid monster whether it is curable, an animal, or human. In this cast, a zombie rabid bite had to be delt with immediately. Depending on his own steed the rider went after the pair of them unsure if they could be trusted or not. What he did not realize was how swift the troll and huntress were. Although she appeared human she had some other race mixed in somewhere or gained certain powers along with abilities. Giving chase to the bitten troll, and running Huntress this rider rushed through another league of swamp half a league from the campsite clearing, and another three leagues of forest. By night fall he catches up to them only to find them at another campsite outside the forest. The Huntress managed to kill the bitten troll. Her own robes were torn up revealing plenty of her to the night air. It was visible in the fire she started just before nightfall. Next to her sat another figure huddled against her in two layers of robes, a cloak, and a partially torn blanket. Unaware of the rider's presence the pair of them share a blanket simply to keep warm by the fire. Dismounting from his steed the rider finds a camp wagon to place his horse near. 

When he joined them, he finds the other to be a younger male with signs of a beard growing, and the Huntress's hair exposed with blood still dripping from it. Next to the other one lay a spear. Calling themselves a Dauntless survivor they give their name as Imris Davelmore. The Huntress called herself Miriam The Ironclad from one of the southern city-state kingdoms. Her own order sent her up here with a score of other members only be scattered all over the Windshade forests. Eager to rest the trio kept their eyes on the flames of the fire while listening to the sounds of the dark night. Owl's hooting, crickets chirping, the branches, and leaves rustling from the whispering winds that came. Just sitting by the fire the rider almost dosed off as for the Huntress, slumber kept gripping her while she jolted awake. Imris the Dauntless survivor appeared slumped over her shoulder as if limp. Miriam noticed this believing he was asleep. She moved slowly to let him gently slump to the ground. Nudging him a little she discovered he was dead. The rider checked him discovering he was bitten by something venomous. Scared this night creature would attack them Miriam chose to sleep under his shelter, the wagon he placed his steed at. In the morning she tagged along with the rider who barely gave her a name to call him, Manhunt. It wasn't his real name, but he chose to stick with that to avoid becoming a target. 

Miriam clung to him and his steed as he pressed deeper into the forest. Passing two more campsites they ran into scores of skulls hanging from branches, discarded weapons, dead warriors, combatants, six war parties, two brooches, discarded helmet, which they went by. Inside this forest their ride breezed past others including four common wood folk, lone traveler, an observer, a sorceress controlling a female thrall, a nude female of some pink-green haired race trying to bathe at a pond. One of their booted feet knocked her down. What these figures would be forced to face was a scattered legion of soldiers who just fought the army of the dead mixed with zombies. He steered his steed clear of these angry, and traumatized soldiers. By midafternoon they exited the forest to the outskirts of a farmstead. There both found a Kennel-Master Berserker going against a Dragonsguard Elite turned Druid. Exchanging heated words, clashing pulling back, and repeat were the only things they did. After each clash each appeared bloodier and a little more bruised. One of them hollers at the other about some specter prowling one of the swamps to the west. The other blurts out about another two leagues of forests bordering the southwest of the Evolving Wilds while the swamp borders the western part. An argument over where they should go caused them to fight each other. With no time, or patience Miriam pushed the rider northward. At full gallop the rider, Manhunt, reached another patch of forests. Just outside they found some lodgings where they rested. Both contemplated and shared their own thoughts on the wild journey they had. Morning started out normal without any encounters until they started heading back to the next forest of the landscape. Local elves let loose a spike plated beast that charged past them into this next forest. 

Paid to go after this creature they were detailed on some large monster toads going after another elf, which explained the beast being set loose. Going after this monster Manhunt and Miriam found it stuck in some orange ooze of the forest. It wrenched itself free of the ooze then proceeded to charge wildly into the forest. Manhunt reared his steed to give chase after the spike armored beast to find four large sentient toads cornering a curvaceous nude elf. Covered in red, and blue tattoos this red headed elf tried holding ground against a quartet of blue, green, yellow, and orange toads with abilities to talk. Inside this forest with a clear river running behind the elf these hungry frogs appeared blind to other threats. One of them did not see a rabid humanoid creature crawl its way to the closest frog using the brush as cover. This wretched creature bit the orange skinned toad ripping their attention away from the elf. Manhunt thought this elf would run away but she was frozen stiff with fear. On the steed Manhunt watched the toads attack the rabid creature with their tongues until it was dead. Without warning they killed the bitten one out of fear of the disease it contracted. Getting a better look at the surrounding foliage he noticed they were in a swamp. Miriam mentioned an arch fiend that dwells in the same swamp as a prison. Manhunt was certain the rabid creature was the archfiend itself. 

One sentient toad mentioned one black dragon prowling the forest swamps a league away. The second babbled on about a circle of volcanoes, and mountains ascending then descending once a year. Out of the third one's mouth was the revelation of a younger black dragon dwelling over a thorned swamp and cliff above this one half a league away. All three rambled on about their next move as the rabid creature ruined their attempt on the elf. Manhunt could not help but recall the beast the elves sent after the toads. Moments later it burst through the foliage and tore the toads apart. It startled his steed, caused Miriam to fall off, and Manhunt to skip a heartbeat. Their elf damsel nearly jumped out of her skin. Her own kind did not say a word to her about such beasts in their own arsenal. Miriam got up and darted for the elf. She snatched her up and a robe-dress on a rock to wrap the elf with. Manhunt helped Miriam load the terrified elf up then proceeded to return to the lodgings.