T
The Underdark Rises
Guest
Original poster
The pines creaked, as golden brown leaves twirled in the warm autumn air. Winter was coming, soon the peaceful woodlands would be covered in snow. Food would become scarce as the crops no longer would bare any fruit. Something about the ominous season birthed with it a sense of humility. The crisp air meant that the two wanderers would have to cross the mountains soon, less the path through the misty peaks become blocked by a sheet of frigidly unforgiving sheet of ice and snow. Ulfric and his pup crept down the dirt and brush covered road. "Father, where are we going." The young girl asked, dragging her feet as the troubles of the road had made her legs heavy. Ulfric offered her an old sly grin, "Do not worry pup, the road isn't much longer. Soon we will find you the help you need."
The road was no life for a child, while most young girls learned how to knit and sow, cook and clean. Tylah instead learned the law of the land, while most girls played with dolls and dreamnt of marrying a noble. Tylah learned how to kill a man from a hundred yards away with a bow, or up close with her short blades. But in such a hostile land, there was little choice. The predators of the realm showed little clemency when it came to their prey.
They continued west, entering the heart of the forest, Ulfric recalled their experience with the inhabitants of this land. How the elven kind rejected them due to his daughter being of defiled blood as they so put it. It seemed that no matter the tribe or location, the experiences they suffered were often the same. Sometimes they'd be tolerated for a night, but more than often they were sent away empty handed to set up camp for the night.
"Father, why do all of mama's people call me defiled?" Her words stung Ulfric, he didn't view his daughter as a monster or freak. Nor did he wish to expose her to such bigotry at such a young age. But his young pup was twelve now, her inherent elven powers awakening, and the more she went ill trained, the greater the severity and frequency of her little mishaps. "Some people pup, just don't know a blessing when they see it. " He replied, trying his best to avoid going into details. But before Tylah could retort, a twig snapped. Both father and daughter narrowed their eyes as they began to observe their surroundings, knowing better then to brush such a simple occurrence off as coincidence.
Suddenly a bush would rustle, as from it came a black arrow, it's wooden shaft bending and spinning as it cut through the wind. But before any of them could react the arrow met it's mark, piercing the right shoulder of Ulfric. "Dad!" Tylah blurted, as she ran toward her father, abruptly halting as several more arrows connected with Ulfric with unparalleled accuracy. One in his side, another on his left thigh, and the last one through his hand, each head poisoned.
Ulfric dropped to his knees as he struggled to stand, wanting nothing more than to draw his blade and shield his child. From the tree line several elves appeared, their faces shrouded in darkness as Ulfric tried to stay conscious from the toxic arrows. The only thing he could make out were a few screams as Tylah surprised them with her acrobatic skills and her short blades. After that, everything went dark, but one thing became apparent before he slipped into a state of torpor...These Elves were from the village that turned them away.
Tylah managed to drop two of the elven men by slicing open the artery's in their thighs. But it wouldn't be long before she found herself in a terrible situation. One of the elven men, the leader she presumed stood over her fathers body, with the tip of his saber resting on his temple. "No!" She cried, as the few remaining elves began to circle around her, dirks at the ready. "We have no quarrel with your old man defiled blood, all we want is you. Come with us peacefully and I will spare his life, and allow Myreah, Goddess of the woods to discern this filthy mortal rangers fate!" He bellowed with a sense of empowerment.
Tylah glanced down at her father who now laid in a pool of his own blood. Scrunching her face together she yelled, throwing both blades on the leaf littered ground. "Cowards..." She whispered, just before the men who once circled her proceeded to punch her to the ground, and then stomp on her several timesbefore wrapping her up in rope. "What now?" One of them asked, the leader turned to him and smiled. "The Matron of the wylds want's to see her. Let us be on our way..." And with that they were gone, keeping true to their word as most elves tended to do. Leaving Ulfric's fate in the hand of the Gods.
The road was no life for a child, while most young girls learned how to knit and sow, cook and clean. Tylah instead learned the law of the land, while most girls played with dolls and dreamnt of marrying a noble. Tylah learned how to kill a man from a hundred yards away with a bow, or up close with her short blades. But in such a hostile land, there was little choice. The predators of the realm showed little clemency when it came to their prey.
They continued west, entering the heart of the forest, Ulfric recalled their experience with the inhabitants of this land. How the elven kind rejected them due to his daughter being of defiled blood as they so put it. It seemed that no matter the tribe or location, the experiences they suffered were often the same. Sometimes they'd be tolerated for a night, but more than often they were sent away empty handed to set up camp for the night.
"Father, why do all of mama's people call me defiled?" Her words stung Ulfric, he didn't view his daughter as a monster or freak. Nor did he wish to expose her to such bigotry at such a young age. But his young pup was twelve now, her inherent elven powers awakening, and the more she went ill trained, the greater the severity and frequency of her little mishaps. "Some people pup, just don't know a blessing when they see it. " He replied, trying his best to avoid going into details. But before Tylah could retort, a twig snapped. Both father and daughter narrowed their eyes as they began to observe their surroundings, knowing better then to brush such a simple occurrence off as coincidence.
Suddenly a bush would rustle, as from it came a black arrow, it's wooden shaft bending and spinning as it cut through the wind. But before any of them could react the arrow met it's mark, piercing the right shoulder of Ulfric. "Dad!" Tylah blurted, as she ran toward her father, abruptly halting as several more arrows connected with Ulfric with unparalleled accuracy. One in his side, another on his left thigh, and the last one through his hand, each head poisoned.
Ulfric dropped to his knees as he struggled to stand, wanting nothing more than to draw his blade and shield his child. From the tree line several elves appeared, their faces shrouded in darkness as Ulfric tried to stay conscious from the toxic arrows. The only thing he could make out were a few screams as Tylah surprised them with her acrobatic skills and her short blades. After that, everything went dark, but one thing became apparent before he slipped into a state of torpor...These Elves were from the village that turned them away.
Tylah managed to drop two of the elven men by slicing open the artery's in their thighs. But it wouldn't be long before she found herself in a terrible situation. One of the elven men, the leader she presumed stood over her fathers body, with the tip of his saber resting on his temple. "No!" She cried, as the few remaining elves began to circle around her, dirks at the ready. "We have no quarrel with your old man defiled blood, all we want is you. Come with us peacefully and I will spare his life, and allow Myreah, Goddess of the woods to discern this filthy mortal rangers fate!" He bellowed with a sense of empowerment.
Tylah glanced down at her father who now laid in a pool of his own blood. Scrunching her face together she yelled, throwing both blades on the leaf littered ground. "Cowards..." She whispered, just before the men who once circled her proceeded to punch her to the ground, and then stomp on her several timesbefore wrapping her up in rope. "What now?" One of them asked, the leader turned to him and smiled. "The Matron of the wylds want's to see her. Let us be on our way..." And with that they were gone, keeping true to their word as most elves tended to do. Leaving Ulfric's fate in the hand of the Gods.
Last edited by a moderator: