Visitation of Nandhe, spirit of Dunstrand Vale

Steel Realms
The Bogmile Wolves
Dunstrand Rising Living World A n c i e n t   Blood – A Living World storyline
Set in the Grand Duchy of Dunstrand of the [Fantasy] Steel Realms.

Ancient Blood’s Due > Ancient Blood – Test of the Bogmile Wolves > The Call of the Hound > Visitation of Nandhe, spirit of Dunstrand Vale

Current Year: Common Year of the Steel Realms, 9169 > after Arvban Keep Strike.

The camp is cold in the morning. Logs burn low, the soft patter of rain muffles the groans and movement as you stir with the subs rising. The fire is stoked and water boiled as gear is stowed. Mutterings and jokes begin as the camp comes alive. Soon, everyone is gathered around for breakfast. After, the fog begins to lift as gear is oiled and strapped. Most have gotten used to the free roaming white horse with the blue mark that belongs to Hylia the bard. It stands warming itself by the fire as the group prepares to head out. Hylia speaks of travels, tales and the group’s place in this, as she does every morning, as the horse nods its head. A strange but amusing feature now, that has become the norm. Thats when the horse starts to talk, repeating what she says. At first she does not notice, but then notices everyone is silent. “Its not just me that can understand what she’s saying, is it?” A few nod silently. “Goddess, my means and way of traveling with tales, the sturdy 4 legs upon which I bring story and comfort, justice and knowledge, is there a message for your messenger’s humble attendants?” Suddenly the horse’s eyes blaze blue and the skies clear above, bathing the horse in a shaft of light.

I am Nandhe (naan-day). I can see the line of blood between Beedel and you. You have lost your connection to the land. You have no sense of what you are fighting for.. Even though you swing your weapons in the right direction. The bronze eagle with the ever-open eye flies above you – it is not an eye that serves me. The rovers of the vale I watch over, are my eyes. Once they were many, now they are few but growing again. These shall be my voice to you. You fight for the land, and the land shall fight for you. The children of nature have bent their wrath and scoured the land in the last few centuries when the Orrish have breached. It is making the folk of the Riverdans strangers in their own lands when they seek to make use of these places, and they are forgotten. The once noble blood houses lie in ruins, scattered and confused. As long as you seek to heal the wounds the Orrish open, there shall be the water of life from deep in the earth to return you to as nature made you.

In your mind is a clear vision of a series of small, abandoned forts in The Riverdans – the Picket Keeps of the Heartlands. Each of these forts is near a breach point. You see Orrish spew forth from the ground, take the fort over, rebuild it and give them an anchor point as they prepare to raid into the countryside. Then an alternate vision shows a partially rebuilt version of each, serving as lookout points. The grounds have been sanctified by the Green Church and the River Rovers and they maintain them as watch points. A series of visions wherein their scouts are able to warn local populace. The Orrish try to use them as in your previous vision, but the earth refuses to let stones be cut and shaped – they split and crack. Local springs stop running, water dries up, and the Orrish have no resources and suffer privation as animals leave the area. These forts are unusable to them. “This is my vision, you will go and advocate for this on behalf of The Vale of Dunstrand, on behalf of me.”

Everything freezes in time for a moment, then it all goes back to normal as if nothing had happened.