They were a HERO! That is what everyone said they were. They crushed nests of kobolds before those imps could spread, destroyed dragons for the gold freeing the kings that sent them after the dragons from their scaly wrath, cut down teiflings where-ever they were found to ensure those demons could claim no souls.
They were a hero, everyone said they were... right?
So when they entered the city to cleanse it of the blight said to exist there, seeing all that existed there, why did it feel so... wrong? They had a job to do. They raised their blade to strike when someone grabbed their hand from behind. Face to face with the elf..... everyone said they were a.......... but... were they?
A premise - a "Hero" comes to New Hope with the intent of wiping out the "evil" inhabitants. And learns a lesson they never forget.
@internutter/challenge-02868-g311-to-change-the-world -- Lessons
Everyone is a hero in their own narrative. Nobody sets out with a sword and a hope of being a great adventurer with plans to cause as much chaos and devastation as possible. Things just... tend... to happen that way. Mostly because Adventurers have a solid streak of 'dumbass' in their makeup. Ardin the Protector set out to eliminate all evil in the world. To him, that meant all evil creatures.
Through his eyes, every Tiefling was a devil-spawn waiting to drag innocent souls into the assorted hells. Every Orc was a savage Barbarian destined to destroy an innocent village or to become part of a rampaging horde. Every Kobold was a sign of an infestation that was a sure sign of rot and corruption. There was no other way to see it. If you did not agree with him, you were allied with evil.
He was a great hero. Especially if you listened to his Bardic sidekick. He had liberated so many places from evil creatures. He wore a bugbear's fur as a trim on his cape. He had dragon teeth on his necklace. He had rings and bracelets made from Tiefling horn. And worse, he had heard of New Hope. Through his eyes, it was little more than a nest of pure evil. It was crawling with Bugbears, Goblins, Orcs, Kobolds, and assorted halfbreeds. There was even talk that it had been founded by a Tiefling. How it had been allowed to prosper was beyond him.
Of course a hero like Ardin had to go there and rout out the evildoers and all those allied with them. He studied first, like any rational hero would. Working out a strategy and a plan of attack. If he could rescue some of the more innocent farmers on the outlying areas, perhaps he could build them into a force to defeat their obviously evil oppressors in the larger city.
No plan ever survives first contact with the alleged enemy.
The instant he spotted a tiny, tiny Gnome child being followed by a gigantic spider, Ardin had to act. He leaped forth and engaged in combat with the beast. Slashing off its limbs and then its head. The child screamed, of course, but they also bawled their head off, shrieking a name.
"Fufu," the child hollered. "Bad man killed Fufu!"
The rest of the Gnome family boiled out of their burrows, armed to the teeth. Though they were little, they were indeed fierce.
"I defeated a giant spider," Ardin objected. "It was about to eat your youngling..."
"You killed our best spinner," A young teen of the family had their sling loaded and whirling. Farmers always made the best fighters. "Can't you read?"
There was a gate. Faffnyr's View Spider Farms hung over the lintel in large, friendly letters. There was a smaller legend underneath, Best Spidersilk West of Evermire! Someone else had nailed another sign to the gate. Thank you for not fighting our TAME spiders. 'Tame' had been underlined thrice. Evidently, this was a common problem.
In retrospect, the fences around the farm had been designed to keep people out rather than to keep any creatures in. The goal was the same - protection. Ardin had assumed it was about Dire Wolves or something. He'd missed every detail. Nevertheless, he had to remain the hero. "My sincere apologies, good citizens. I am more used to the savage variety. I honestly believed your -ah- Fufu... was attacking the little girl. If you would accept the value of the beast as recompense, I have a lot of gold..."
The Matriarch of the family glared at his necklace. Her gaze ticked to the trim of his cloak, the elegantly carved bracelet, and the other trophies he had dangling from his belt. "You'd be better off turning around... sir." That 'sir' was almost disrespectful. The tone of voice that said, We're only calling you 'sir' to remain polite. However, we've weighed you in the balance and found you wanting and we know we could overpower you if it becomes necessary. Don't make it necessary. It was a lot to cram into one syllable with tone of voice alone.
Ardin felt like he was suddenly standing on quicksand... or the social answer to it. One wrong move and there would be no trace left of him. He took a step towards the more civil egress of the gate. Tried holding himself in a more heroic stance. "Misunderstandings aside, I am Ardin the Protector. Here to rid these fair lands of the scourge of evil."
"You have a ring made of Orc tusk," noted one of the smaller ones. "Are you gonna kill Gormash the Baker?"
The girl he'd 'saved' was still bawling, fleeing from him towards the safety of the family group. She was still mourning Fufu. Still howling. She was young. She would eventually become used to seeing death.
"You'd best be moving along," said the Matriarch. "Ain't nothing evil in New Hope."
"Nothing evil?" he boggled. "Nothing evil? Nothing evil? Your city is a nest of demonspawn, kobolds, and bugbears! They're going to destroy civilisation as we know it!"
The older members of the family exchanged looks. They weren't optimistic looks. This was not the traditional hero's welcome.
"Turn around," advised the Matriarch, "or pass through in peace. This place is not evil."
He couldn't read any evil in them, so he backed off, taking the road. Deeper into the nest of evil. They farmed giant spiders, here. It was more than disturbing to see an arachnid placidly sipping juices from portions of food that their caregivers were handing them.
Creepy, true, but not evil. There were other farms. Verdant fields. Fat cattle. Everything prosperous and healthy. This was no soul-sucked dark den of evil. Or so it seemed. "Bard? Have we chanced to be ensorcelled? Are we seeing the truth?"
"There's no magic employed, thy ring makes it destroyed," reminded Kleff. "For all I know, we see all that's showed."
This... wasn't right. This was a place full of evil creatures. It had to be evil. There had to be a soul-sucking oppression of all those aligned with good. There had to be a land that reflected the spirit of the people who lived there. Evil creatures lived in dark, dank, depressing dungeons and lairs. The good and innocent lived in... Havens.
It was a modest churchyard, big enough for the garden that supplied food to any who were destitute. Lush growth and a hallowed light indicated that this was a bastion of pure goodness. Ardin went to it like a moth to a lantern. He needed a sanctuary of light and hope to re-centre himself. He needed to commune with the Divine.
He raced through the doors, only noting in passing that they followed Lathander here. The dawn bringer of new hopes. Good. He needed new hope. He charged past a few who were in the chapel for quiet contemplation, heading towards the eternal flame at the altar and the Cleric who was bustling about with something nearby.
The Cleric stood, smiling a very sharp smile.
Ardin was instantly offended, he drew his sword and screamed, "Avaunt,foul spawn of Asmodeus!" He tried to charge. Tried to swing, but someone held his sword arm by the wrist. Ardin wheeled to punch the ally of evil, and almost sprained his entire body pulling his punch to a halt.
Everyone knew of Wraithvine, the saviour of millions. Unsung hero of multitudes. Centuries ago, he had taken a vow to greatly improve the world and the Gods would not let him age until it was fulfilled. He had been alive too many years to count, they said. The world was a big place and there was so much room for improvement.
"If you strike down a Cleric of Lathander, you will be foresworn," Wraithvine warned, speaking quickly. "The Gods will forsake you."
"That cannot be a Cleric of Lathander, it's a demon!"
"Tiefling," corrected the Elf. "She was saved from the street by a Bugbear... also a Cleric of Lathander."
"Another bountiful-- oh..." The aforementioned Bugbear entered from the gardens. He had one basket full of eggs, and another full of leafy greens from the Haven's fields. "He's here." Very calmly, the monster in holy robes put down his harvest and said, "Sunshine? Are you all right?"
"Just startled," answered the Demon. "He didn't get to hurt me."
"WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE DAWN LORD IS GOING ON IN THIS PIT OF EVIL?" Ardin howled.
"The only evil," said Wraithvine, "is a Paladin who strikes before he has properly judged."
Somehow, he could not move. Somehow, he could only watch in terror as the monster and the demon approached, holy symbols glowing with an undeniable light.
"You should spend a day seeing the world as we do," said the monster.
There was light... and warmth... and the two figures standing before him looked... more like innocents. Kleff the Bard, caught in the holy working, started screaming. Begging to be protected from the monster.
Automatically, Ardin looked around, trying to find the monster in the room. Everyone around him had a virtuous countenance, though Kleff looked more wretched than worthy.
"Where is it?" he demanded. "Where is the monster?"
"You should perhaps avoid mirrors for a day," advised Wraithvine.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / betochagas]
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