Disclaimer: Eberron and D&D is property of Wizards of the Coast. I am in no way affiliated with the afore-mentioned company.
The wind rustled peacefully through the treetops, scattering the light in whorls of columns, illuminating the dust motes that danced down their pathways. The light was tinted orange by the fading sun, soon it would be dark. Aidan looked up revelling in the peace and beauty of his forest home. He loved exploring the forest even though his parents did not approve, fearing for his safety. He did not mind their tellings off when he arrived home, for he knew that nothing harmful would befall him. His was the arrogance of youth and he believed himself invulnerable. The call of his pet hound, Shade, echoed from ahead, he knew that it meant prey had been sighted probably a rabbit. He crept forward, carefully avoiding the leaf litter and moving softly through the undergrowth. He set his net and whistled to Shade. Shade would now direct the rabbit towards him so that they might capture it. It had taken Aidan many months to train Shade but it had finally paid off. Shade was nearly completely trained although, there was still many more things Aidan could think of to do with him, Shade was clever, he had been bred by House Vadalis, his pedigree was excellent and Aidan made full use of his hounds skills.
A set of short barks followed by a piercing howl made Aidan jump. Forgetting his net he ran towards the squeals his woodscraft forgotten. Sudden silence descended over the forest. Aidan could only hear the sound of his feet crunching upon twigs and leaves the snap of branches as he pushed past, his fiercely beating heart and his own breath coming in short sharp gasps. What could have happened, the sound of agony in that howl had frightened him, how badly hurt could Shade be was he even hurt at all? He smelt the pungent tang of iron, blood, and saw a small patch of it lying upon the ground a few more splashes lay to the right. Running forward he saw Shade lying curled up. He ran to him blinded to all else by his fear for the dog. Shade looked up and thumped his tail in welcome then, bent sideways licking a deep gash that had been torn in his side. Aidan ran across towards him. Shade growled a deep rumbling sound echoing from his chest. Aidan stopped confused, he approached more slowly, "Here boy its' just me let me have a look, I want to help you", Aidan talked softly nearly whispering.
Shade rumbled louder, "It's alright boy, I just need to look at that wound…"
A large shape crashed into Aidan's back knocking him to the ground. A wet sound of teeth sinking into flesh, terrorized Aidan and the sharp jab of pain set him to screaming. The shape loomed above him and then disappeared, vanishing into the oncoming dusk. The last thing Aidan felt as he slipped towards unconsciousness was a wet nose touching his cheek.
I am a knight of the Silver Flame, my faith upholds me and strengthens me. It is a warm reassuring presence against the hatred of the world. I can see the expressions of hatred in others eyes as they see me pass in my livery. I ca understand their hatred, some of my companions have been responsible for atrocious actions especially during the last war. I however have held to my path. This makes me no better than them, for I have my faults but at least I have not fallen and it is easy to fall. Many a time have I seen my friends falter and fall, it is as if they have died inside, and I mourn them. I have been accused of not upholding my vows, for I don not see things in terms of absolutes, I understand this world is variable and unpredictable and I try to adapt whilst still upholding my faith. I am not a religious zealot (though some of my brethren are) nor am I prouder than anyone else, in fact I see my faults clearer and must try harder to overcome them. The way of a paladin is not easy, there is much temptation and much that I must deny myself but always I hope for the peace of my God to bless me in death. Is it strange to work towards death as a goal and a fulfilment rather than indulging in life as others proclaim. Am I perhaps rather morbid in my outlook, this may be the case but at least I have found a way. I have no premonitions that this might be the right path indeed it may be wrong but it is faith that carries me forward and a hope for better things to come.
Laira looked up from her journal to watch the commotion that had just erupted in the inn's common room. Two men, who where decidedly drunk, had begun to brawl, she sighed and watched them for a bit. Technically she should be stopping them, but seeing the looks of despair on their faces earlier she had realized they where veterans of the war. No doubt drink was an easy way for them to drown the sorrows they had seen. For such men, violence seemed to relieve their pain momentarily and then they would calm again. It may not be the best way to deal with their tormented conscious but who was she to judge. Laira stood up and quickly closed her journal. Tying her hair up into a stiff bun she leapt over the fallen bar stools and whipping her lithe muscular form about laid one man low with a quick punch to the guts. The other brawler turned and swept an ill-considered punch in her direction. Easily ducking below it Laira brought her knee up hard into the man's groin; he fell to the floor moaning with pain. Three other men grabbed their prone bodies and took them outside to pour water over them to help with sobering up. Laira watched them out of the ill-fitting and draughty doors and returned to her begrimed seat. Her journal lay where she had left it with her glass still half-full. Sipping at the foul liquid which tasted more like vinegar than anything else, she reopened her journal. The light was terrible and she could barely read what she had written. Sighing Laira closed the book and leant backwards to observe the other guests. They were the typical farming types common in the Eldeen Reaches, Local farmers trading stories of wildlife incursion and how the weather was affecting their crops. A few traders sat grouped together discussing the state of roads and what would fetch a good price at the larger cities to the north. Laira sighed again she wondered why traders would want to come to the small hamlet of Greenswain. She was only here by chance, after all upsetting the cardinals was not the brightest thing she had done, and especially accusing Cardinal Belmont for negligence of duty and corruption without proof… well she supposed she did deserve it, yet another lesson. It annoyed her though that they had fabricated the proof of lycanthropes in the area. They did seem to be becoming more common after being scarce since the purge but after endlessly tracking the area around Greenswain she was convinced that no lycanthrope had been in the area for many years. Even Theor, the local ranger had seen nothing. Sighing yet again, this time with frustration, Laira gulped more of the foul vinegar cider. She hoped her food would arrive soon, it wouldn't be that palatable but hopefully it would be better then the raw biltong and trail biscuits that she had become accustomed too. She was definitely not used to the outdoors lifestyle. It was a blessing really that she had met Theor, the tall human had proved of great assistance to her explaining wilderness techniques and survival in hostile environments. Not that the Eldeen Reaches were so inhospitable, there were certainly many dangerous creatures that lived in the forest but there was also abundant food to be found and the weather was surprisingly clement. The hostess moved over carrying a platter of venison, it steamed enticingly and the aroma was certainly delicious, perhaps the fare this night would not be as bad as Liara had feared. Tucking into the savoury meat Liara was certainly pleased, perhaps it helped that she was so hungry for hunger made all foods delicious and the fact that this tasted so good could be attributed to that, but perhaps she was being too hard on the provincial dwelling. Why should they not excel at something? Skills could be honed in even the remotest of places. Tucking into the meal she wondered absently what Theor was up to. The ranger certainly despised being in town only occasionally returning to gather a few supplies that he could not find or create for himself from the woods. He was as strange a man as Laira had ever met. He had a family that lived on the outskirts of town, a wife and young son. Laira could not understand Fiare, her willingness to have a husband that seldom came home as he preferred to wander the woods leaving her to raise a son alone, a son who seemed as stubborn as his father in refusing to stay within the confines of what passed for civilization in the Eldeen. The boy, Aidan, if she remembered correctly seemed to be as talented as his father but she had heard both his parents telling him to remain far from the forest. It seemed strange to her reflecting back, that Theor wanted his son to stay far from the forest, although perhaps not as who better to know all the danger that lurked within the woods than Theor. She knew he wanted to take Aidan on his next patrol with them maybe he was just waiting for the boy to grow up a bit before he began training him.