Frank Boar

[Hanki]

Entering the mists ..


Frank dragged himself forwards. His feet were burried deep in the snow, gone limb, lost feeling. He moaned as a strong gust of wind swept over the tundra, nearly knocking his small stature to the ground.

He knew where he was going, he was determined. Proving himself, was what he was doing. Pulling his cloak tighter around his broad shoulders he glanced at the snow covered ground. Normally this would blind you, as the white surface would reflect the sharp rays of the sun into your eyes. But not this time, as he stared into deep tracks.

Paws had penetrated the solified water here. He could see the barren earth that rested under the layer of snow in the track. He knew what he was tracking, he knew his pray. Looking to the heavens briefly, numerous icy crystals impacted with his flesh, soaking what had been one of his few dry spots left.

As he looked down again, he saw it. There stood a huge polar bear, clad in white fur as himself. He knew he stood good. The wind swept towards him, cheating the bear to missing his odour. Tredding lightly closer to the bear, he gripped the handle of his axe tight. This was it, his time to prove himself. His time to pass into manhood, his time to gain the respect of the other men of his tribe.

Moving his sight to his arm, he witnessed himself pulling the axe free of his belt with a shaking hand. Calming himself, he closed his eyes for a brief moment. He breathed deep, pulling the cold air into his lungs. As he slowly exhaled, his warm breath painted a brief fog in the space infront of him. Setting into a run, he buildt speed until he was about twenty feet from the bear. He hurled the axe through the air and hit the polarbear, its white fur grdually painted red around the wound. With a large roar the bear charged towards Frank.

Moving in the snow was hard and Frank did not manage to dodge the bear. After another fierce roar the bear grabbed Frank in his huge jaws and flinged him high into the air. He knew the snow would soften his fall, yet this was not going to be a pleasent impact.

With a large thump the halflings body hit the ground. The bear moved towards him, before he knew it it stood right ontop of him. It flashed its teeth at Frank and lowered its head, preparing to end the life of the nuisance that Frank was to it. A kick to its head made sure this was not going to happen however. The bear stumbled back, giving Frank time to get to his feet again. Bruised and weary from the blow his hand shook as he grabbed another axe.

Adreneline pumped through his veins as he threw himself at the bear, screaming violently. His heart was racing as jumped upon the bear, gripping its fur tight with his free hand, the other with its fingers wrapped tight around the handle of his axe. Frank hacked at the bears neck, forcing his axe into the the flesh of the bears neck and raising it again to prepare for another blow. He was blind with rage and the blood that shot out of the bears neck and into his face with high presure.

Next he could remember he stood by the slain bear, staring at the bloody corpse. He grunted as he cut his fingers in the process of violently ripping out one of its teeth as proof of his kill. Slowly he dragged his exhausted self back to where he had ventured out from. As he walked he moved into a thick mist ...

[AwesomeOrangeDog]

Growing up with a barbarian tribe in Icewind Dale had shaped Frank into a strong and sturdy individual. He had to learned to rely mostly of himself but still seek the help of others, would his struggles become to much for himself to handle. His mother had passed away during the birth of his brother so he grew up with his father as his only parent.

Dressing in thick furs was a neccisy to avoid becomming the victim to frostbite. His tribe was nomadic, living in tents made from the hides of animals that were used to the cold of the Dale. They moved with the animals, as they were their only source of food. Digging up herbs and fruits of the earth was only possible in the short summer.

The women would be responssible for most work around the camp. They tanned hides, prepared food and looked after children. Men would prepare themselves for hunt, and hunt. A task that only sent them out of the camp each month or so, but nevertheless a trip one was not always sure to return from. Their game was seals for their hides and their fat, oxen for their meat and polar bears for their thick furs and teeth for decorative purposes.

At the age of 10 a boy was expected to be able to survive on his own. This would be put to the test by sending them out to live ten nights and ten days on their own. They'd be givin a tent, a little food and basic hunting equiptment. This ordeal was harder on Frank. Being a halfling he would mature much slower than the humans. A human boy of ten years would be much better of than a halfling boy at ten years for this sort of thing.

Nevertheless, Frank survived this. He had walked to a small stream of fresh water that flowed with such speed it had not frozen. Carrying the tent had left him with a back ache, making him groan and mutter as he set up his new home. He did not have the strength to do much more than set up his tent, a campfire and eat what little food he had been givin that night. He quickly fell asleep, exhausted from his travels.

Frank had spend his whole second day looking over the stream. He stood with spear in hand, ready to stab though any fish that would pass by. Many fish had passed but he had been unable to catch one with this method. As the sun set, late in the afternoon he had still not caught anything, and it was now impossible to see anything because of the lack of light. Everything was pitch black as he creeped into his tent and curled up on a fur he had brought. He cried himself to sleep that night, feeling helpless and alone.

He woke up late the next morning. His tears from last night had painted clean trails down his otherwise dirty cheeks. It was colder this day. He decided that he'd watch over the stream again, hoping to get a fish. Again he had no luck. Sure, fish would come by but he was not quick enough to catch one. He had gone two days without eating now, and he did not feel so good. Maintaining his body heat in the cold air was something that drained a lot of energy, and he had not been feeding himself any. He fed his fire a few more branches before creeping into the tent again and curling up to try keeping his heat. As the sun set and darkness cloaked the land, a gust of wind swept across the snow and extinguished his fire. Wolves howled in the distance.

Frank woke as the howling of the wolves had suddenly gotten much louder. He knew they were right outside his tent. He could hear them sniffing and barking at eachother. He knew not what to do but curl up and lie there. As he began crying he hulked sofly. This was enough sounds needed to attract the wolves and soon one stuck its head inside the tent and stared at the boy with hungry eyes. Frank's spear was by his side and he grabbed a tight hold of it. As the wolf silently aproached it flashed its fangs. Frank was facing away from the canine but he knew where it was. He could hear it and he felt the warm breath getting closer untill it was so close Frank's neck got moist from the breath.

Suddenly the boy jumped up and stabbed his spear at the wolf. It had hit it in the chest. The wolf howled weakly and fell on its side, dead. Frank had killed a wolf. It had nothing to do with training or experience, it was just plain luck. He fed on this wolf for the remaining days before he headed back to his tribe. He was welcomed with toasts of what wine they had. Frank had taken his first step towards becomming a man. Another test would have to be acomplished before he could truely become a man. This test was far more challenging. He would have to claim the tooth of a slain polar bear.

[AwesomeOrangeDog]

Listen boy, i'll show you something. Here's the thoughts of a crazy halfling ...

I talked with Nara’ia today. I had accused her of being part of the witch hiding conspiracy the militia and the guards have going on. She wanted to talk about that. She ended up twisting the conversation onto another topic. Maybe to cover herself up and put my mind on something else than the conspiracy? Smart move, but i’ve been thinking about what she said.

She told me she cared for me. I have never heard that from anyone else than my father. Why would she care, anyway? We don’t even know eachother, yet she cares about the public whipping i endured. It was nice hearing, but i can’t help to think if she really means what she says.

She suggested that i changed my ways. I’m good at getting in trouble, especially with the guards. I’ll also gladly beat anyone to a bloody pulp if they get me mad enough. She suggested i might try using my rage against the guards to help and protect people. But why would i care for others than myself? What good does that do me?

I hold a huge grudge against the guards after what they put me through. The punishment being in public does not make it any better. She told me that helping people made her feel better, so i should try it, because i feel like hell. That’s when i told her that i didn’t care much for other people. I’ve been used to standing on my own two legs and relying only on myself. So what use should i have for others?

That’s when she told me that she cared for me. She ruffled my hair and i couldn’t help but smile. I don’t know if i care for others. Maye Gisselle, i don’t know what we have together. Maybe Maegan because she carries a child. But i don’t know. I tried to save Dribo once, but i think that’s because i have plans i wish to see realised with her. Don’t think it’ll happen though, becaue of that Sam.

Our talk just made me think. I know a lot of people don’t like me. Is it because they can tell i don’t give a rats arse about them? Maybe i do care. I beat someone to the brink of death today, but i soaked him in a healing potion so he wouldn’t actually die. But then again i didn’t care about Corvin in the mountains. I was glad to see he would sacrifice himself for my life. I was happy i survived, but i was also happy to see he was still alive when i saw him at the temple? Perhaps i care for strong allies that can benifit me, or perhaps i care about the life of others.

Nara’ia sure did get me thinking, and i certainly ain’t done yet. Maybe she distracted me from what the militia and guards are doing. Maybe she stopped me in my journey to revenge. Maybe she was comming from somewhere honest and wished the best for me.

I don’t know, and that pisses me off.

[AwesomeOrangeDog]

Frank leaves Midway. He walks with haste, yet he does not seem to know where he is going, stopping many times to feed his eyes his the view of his soroundings. He carries a tiny bundle, something wrapped in a towel in one hand. A shovel in the other. Sadness is what his facial feauteres currenlty show. His lips are curled to a frown, his eyebrows furrowed.

Maegan gave birth. It was not much at first, but it got hard to watch in the end. She screamed and moaned in pain. I was worried for her. I cared for her. It was an ordeal for me, much more for her i assume. Ramonius was there, i was glad he was. He hates me like most people, but i know he loves Maegan, so i was glad. Some priestess of Ezra was there. She seemed to have experience with such things.

Maegan gave birth to a healthy baby boy. He’s got red hair, like Finn. I figure he’ll be quite the rascal. He came second. She had twins. I was glad to see something healthy come out after what i saw come out first. I had to hold it while she gave birth to the other. Real weight on my heart. It didn’t make me feel good.

The priestess handed it to me. It was wrapped in a towel like it still is. I was worried it had not been crying and it wasen’t pleasent unwrapping it and having a look at it. It was dead, had been for some time. It was nothing like the other. It had no hair and was much smaller. Was a girl, Anna. A real shame she couldn’t live. It wasen’t anyones fault. Dead when it came out, strangled.

I’m on my way to bury it now. I don’t know where i should do it yet, but i’ll tell Maegan where it is. It’s not easy throwing the corpse of the baby girl Maegan wanted to bad away. But i’ll have to do it when Maegan can’t herself. I’ll find a place. I’ll bury it deep so no one can sniff her out and dig her up. I care because it came from Maegan.

I don’t know if i should tell Finn. Maybe i should ask Maegan about it, maybe i should never speak to her about it ever again. Finn said he didn’t want to have anything to do with the child as Maegan said she was going ti have one, but maybe i should tell him anyway.

Burrying it sure won’t be easy, but it is something i have to do for Maegan. I have to get rid of it soon, but it needs to be a good place. I do not want to get in trouble because i am running around with a dead baby. I long for Gisselle. I realise now, dealing with this that i need help from somewhat else. I need to seek someone for comfort. I can’t handle this one on my own, it’s to much. Needing and depending on others ain’t a thorn in my pride. It doesn’t make me weak.

Does it?

[AwesomeOrangeDog]

Frank sits in the dark cave. He can not seen anything, but he knows his hands are stained with blood. They are red, like the hair of the female halfling present. She is on her side, sleeping. Frank sits by her side, listening to her breathing and looking around the cave nervously.

I don’t know what i am doing. I don’t know why i did it. My hands are covered in her blood know. She said she wanted to take her to the church, i said no. Nara’ia was not to carry Katty’s corpse. That’s for me to do, i promised to keep her safe and warm. But Nara’ia would not give her to me.

I knew what i had to do. I don’t know how, i just knew. I killed her, right where she stood. I wanted to take Katty’s body. She shouldn’t go to the Church of the Morning Lord, i just knew they would hurt her there. I am not going to let anyone hurt her. Nara’ia leaved me with no choice, i had to kill her. And so i did.

I placed her on the altar in the small room. I places Nara’ia’s corpse on the altar. I knew how to get Katty back, i just knew. I spilled her blood on the altar and Katty came back. I don’t want to think about it. I am so scared. But it doesn’t matter, because Katty is here, she can comfort me. I will keep her safe, always, no matter what it takes.

I just came back from telling Maegan where i burried her child. People need to leave me alone. I’m scared of what i might do. I will do anything to keep Katty safe and warm. I will gladly spill blood for her again.

[Ryltar/ Robert Archer]

OOC: Posted with permission

Drudoc sat in the cave with Frank seeming to be curled up asleep. She could sense his unease and being unsure of what he had done. But he had done it that was what mattered. A few more words, some reasoning, and just a hint of the truth would more then likely seal the  male halflings fate.

Her beauty, charms, ways of twisting words and actions were stronger then ever.  Perhaps her memory faded from her at times but what did it matter. Soon Frank would conversion would be complete just like Samira's had been. He would make a fine guard for her, and be able to enter areas that were far to public or dangerous for her to enter herself.

The Dawn fools denied her her god given right to show off her beauty. It angered her, enraged her about this fact. How could they dare deny her these things! For now though Drudoc kept herself calmed by Frank's presence and reigned in her anger for taking full hostile action the time would come soon enough that all her plans would fall into place.

And Frank would take his place by her side, he would keep the cold away that she so feared, and protect her and with the proper motivation even kill for her, once more.

"Yes..." She thought. "Yes...soon the cold and pain shall all end, and I shall cast off this mortal shell, and embrace my calling of Eternal life and then make all those that have wronged me pay and suffer, and then once that is done, Eternal time to perfect myself, my beauty shall be mine" Drudoc silently laughed then some and curled up closer to Frank drifting off into a content sleep.

[AwesomeOrangeDog]

Frank lies in the prison cell, bound by rope. His leg is bandagad. He cries, screams and whines.

I'm in deep shit. I'm a dead man. I'm weak.

I told him everything, the doctor, but only after torture. He doesn't trust me. He says he will punish me. I've lost track of how long i have been here. The other prisoners scream, and i do too, because this is horrible. I miss the daylight, i miss proper food, i miss wearing clothes and i miss Gisselle. They think she's involved in this. They say she is hiding. I've begged and pleaded that the guards trust me when i say she is not, but i lied once, so they will not. I fear for her safety. I know the guards are quick to jump to conclusions, point fingers and condem. I don't want anything to happen to her. I want her to be there when i get out. She has to be in one peice, i need her.

I hate you so very much Katty. I hate you so very much Drudoc. I never understood what the hell you were doing or trying to acomplish, but i hate you for using me. I hate you for dragging me into this mess. Blood God grants you beauty you say, but i have never met a more horrible person. I hope you die. I hope your eyes gets poked out with a hot iron rod. I hope the Dawners hurt you over and over again and i hope i'll see you suffer. You have destroyed me, and i will never forgive you. You have broken my leg. You have put me in prison. You have doomed me. I hope you rot in hell, you whore. People like you should not be allowed to breed.

[Ryltar/ Robert Archer]

Drudoc's spirit heard the shouts and cries of Frank, and wandered over while he ranted and screamed his hatred at her. Perhaps he knew she was caught, perhaps he wasnt aware. It mattered little to Drudoc in truth. Her mind felt more calm in this state, not befuddled by her desires for beauty and charm, it was a difference she barely noticed though as she entered the small cell he was in.

Her spirit drifted over to Frank's form listening more. A faint ghostly whisper brushed past his ears. Sweet, and gentle as always but with a hint of a coldness to them "...I used you? I never forced you to do what you did for me...sure I charmed you with my body, used words to twist what happened to me. But it was never forced upon you by what actions you did." She said softly then slyly smiled continuing. "...who was it that made the CHOICE to kill Nar'ia? Who made the choice to protect me from others? Who was it that did all these things Frank?" She slightly grinned brushing back the ghostly locks of her hair. "...it was YOU Frank YOU made your choices, you carried out those actions and deeds. I merely put the suggestion forward, you still had the freedom to chose. Your love cured you of the curse that originally bound you to me but that was BEFORE all those 'dark deeds' you did for me. Perhaps before you go blaming me for your predicament you should think hard on your own choices."

The air was silent then around Frank before a soft chuckle brushed by his left ear. "...Choices, it all comes to choices my dear Frank. I once was a bastion of good and light in this land, aided anyone that needed. All I got for it was pain, suffering and betrayal. Then when I made my conversion to the Blood God even then it was to protect others I thought were friends, even a lover. They though called me evil for trying to protect them, and so more pain and suffering came. But it was all still choices Frank my dear. Always choices. I've finally come to realize that there is not good, no evil, nothing in between either, its just plain and simple choices."

Again the air was silent, before a final wisp of a whisper brushed his cheek. "...I wonder what choices you will make?" Then silence once more in his dank cell.

[AwesomeOrangeDog]

Frank paces back and forth slowly in a small room upstairs of the Lady's Resting Place. A blackened skull is placed on the bed. He whispers to it.

Oh shit, Ivan. I lost George. That's pretty bad alright. But it gets worse, Ivan. You were there. I do not know if you saw, being a decapitated head that was lit on fire and all. I just wanted you and George to stop smelling. Gisselle said we could burn the flesh off you and George so you would not smell. I was scared i might attract unwanted attention with two half-rotten heads in my backpack. Skulls would be better, but now i lost George. I'm sorry Ivan but i know you will forgive me. You never judge me, Ivan, and you never talk back to me. That's why i like you so much, and that's why i tell you everything. Besides, you are a decapitated head, so you will not tell anyone.

Gisselle does not know her own power. She is much stronger than she thinks. I was happy when she told me i could stop the smelling. Burning you sounded like a good idea at the time, and it would have worked out alright if she hadn't been so damn powerful, Ivan. You were just supposed to catch fire real quick to rid you of your flesh, and i was supposed to extinguish the flames by taking a leak on you. It was a brilliant plan, but it spun out of control. Gisselle's spell produced far more flame than we had intended. You burned too much, and i had to fill the pot with water to put it out. Now you're all black and burnt. I am sorry, Ivan, but i know you will forgive me.

Again she was too powerful. I had always wanted to see what it was Gisselle could do with humanoid remains, so i let her try animating George's skull. She was just too powerful, and that's why i lost him. I was amazed when she put life in the skull. It's jaws would move. She had told me that she could command it, make it do her bidding. But it started floating. In it's eyesockets burned two deep red light. I was scared then, Ivan. It could talk. It could fly around. It laughed at us, Ivan. What was so amusing? I don't know if it could remember it's past life. Ellena had killed him and cut his head off, and i had taken it when no one looked. Gisselle could not command it. It did not respond when she asked it to stop laughing. Gisselle was just too damn powerful.

This dwarf came in all of a sudden. It was rude, and seemed unmoved by the floating skull, the one that scared me and Gisselle so much. The dwarf was killed. The skull needed only look at him and he died. Gisselle could not make it stop. The skull said Gisselle did not truly want it to stop. What was this about now, Ivan? Was this true? I do not know what to think about this. I love her. I asked her to marry me, and she said yes. Now we're partners in something much more complex aswell. George just flew off. We lost him. He can kill people simply by looking at them. Oh shit, Ivan. What have we done? Now George is out there, and Gisselle can not control it. Or maybe she can. Maybe it does what she truly wants. I do not know what she truly wants. Revenge, perhaps. I fear George will kill again.

I needed to change my pants after this, Ivan.