3. Story of Scott Grimm

Story of Scott Grimm


  • Originally from a small farmstead north of Two Stars, Thay, as a young child Scott was considered to be dim witted by his parents. He was slow to learn, rarely showed emotion, did not speak until he was nearly 6 winters old and even then rarely spoke unless he required something. By his early teens Scott was definitely considered strange by all who knew him, going about his day only as instructed and never taking initiative of his own. His only redeeming qualities was his discipline as he carried out any instruction given to him without complaint, his handsome qualities, and his polite demeanor.

    On a particular dark night in his 15th spring, Scotts farm home was broken into and attacked. Both his parents were presumably killed and Scott was abducted. Because of his witless nature Scott did not make any attempt to stop the abduction, and was thus carried off without resistance.

    He was taken to what would be described as a monastery, hidden deep in a forest. The lighting was always low and the scent of death was everywhere. At any given time there were pale skinned monks fighting each other until they were bloody, reading books, or studying dead and dieing things.

    At first Scott was subjected to countless painful tortures, being brought near death and then being given reprise in order to heal or die. These monks fascination with the dead and dieing was obsessive.
    The torturer known only as 'M' would often talk to Scott as he went about his work, telling Scott about why he is being tortured and what they hope to get out of doing it. He spoke of the order of the long death and how they desired to discover the perfect death. Scott was Lucky to be part of such a great study.
    Scott being as he is would wince and whimper from the pain but managed to hold back a lot of his cries, he did not want to interrupt the Monk and was content with doing as he was asked.

    This torture went on for months, often bringing Scott dangerously close to death but he always recovered. Eventually the Monk would go from talking to Scott to talking 'with' Scott, as he began asking questions and getting replies, to his disbelief the replies were always pleasant and polite even though it was under duress.

    Eventually the torture would stop as 'M' had nothing more he could do to Scott. He decided instead to teach Scott the ways of the long death, beginning with teaching him to fight the other monks. Two years of rigorous training was spent on fighting and meditating and Scott learned a great deal. He was never however good enough to beat the best Monks to be initiated officially into the order but ,being simple, that never mattered to him.

    On a quiet morning in his 19th year Scott was jarred awake by 'M' who told Scott he needed to leave the monastery. The local authority has learned that the Monastery was obtaining specimens without the permission and was being ordered to disband.

    'Travel to Narfell, Scott, and find the order there to resume your training, I will come find you one day. Seek the perfect death and learn all you can on your own.' Was all that M had to say to Scott before sending him on his way.


  • Some white winged creature popped up in the commons, said her name was Clandra and asked us to go get some demon dance book from Dun Tharos.
    She didn't mention pay so I wasn't too interested, however she said pretty please and I felt compelled to offer my assistance.
    While everyone else around was bickering on the fine print I was already on my way to the boat.

    What seemed like a day later until the rest of those in the commons decided to tag along and we were on our way. First to Norwick then down south and through the wyvern lands and further south we went.

    At some point a Green Dragon attacked us, its aura weakened me but with the help of those around we defeated it. I even got the killing blow which pleases me greatly.

    We continued on our way through thick forests and found a grove of little tiny dragonlike . . dragons i guess. .and then suddenly we were teleported somewhere high up where another Dragon met us this time it was Monstrous, biggest thing I have ever seen. Even its breath was able to paralyze me and everyone nearby, then it used magic to call down lightning taking the likes of Gnarl and Cecil to their knees.
    After everyone realized we had no hope to defeat it people calmed down and tried to talk to it, it was able to speak and after some discussion and a little bribery we were able to find our way down safely.

    We continue our journey and find we are faced with spiders including crystal spiders and even a queen orb weaver, which we defeat and I collected the weavers spider sack, Darey mentioned wanting one so I will give it to him next time I am in oscura.

    Further down and we face Renders, massive monsters with an aura of fear, of course giant Cecil ran screaming as soon as he got close leaving me to battle the beast in melee alone. But it was defeated.

    After that we were getting close, the Volodni began to attack us with acid and magic but we defeated them one by one until we reached Dun Tharos.

    Dun Tharos was full of even more Volodni and even more powerful ones who used magic liberally making them difficult foes. With a great deal of effort and resisting some death magic we defeated them all and got the book though one Bard was killed by the death magic, Carol i think her name was.

    We got back and it came to light that some may have been manipulated with magic to go on the trip. Cecil tried to reassert his manliness, after running screaming from a few fights, by arresting the planar being, which was a hopeless endeavor as they are able to planeshift. .

    all in all was a fun trip.


  • Training is proceeding exceptionally well. I was first tasked to face spiders in order to improve my bodies resilience, by the time my training was complete I was nigh immune to everything the spiders could do to me. That is aside from being bitten directly but I will need better armor to deal with that.

    After that I was taught how to increase my strength a great deal, and finally they want to start teaching me about undead. They give me a symbol and tell me how to use it to make the dead flee as well I am taught how to command undead of my own. I test out making the undead flee and it doesn't work at all, I am not sure what I am doing wrong. The undead I command is somewhat useful but not very strong, at best I can use it in an emergency if I need a distraction, I'm not overly fond of these undead but they seem to be useful tools at best. I was with a group in the crypts of Norwick and we were low on resources and had to face a couple more giant undead creatures, I decided to use my undead to absorb the blows while I take the large creature down from the side. The people I were with didn't seem to appreciate my tactics but they weren't quick to complain, though one elf did actually attack the undead I commanded. Seems she put herself and everyone else at risk in doing so, and im sure she learned her lesson about choosing ones battles as she nearly died not much later.

    ===

    Aoth seemed a bit distracted, usually she smiles at me when we are near but not this time. I learned later that she had fallen in battle recently. Perhaps I can cheer her up.

    ===

    I was fighting worgs with Karrick when we were attacked by a golem made of stone that was controlled by Orcs, we managed to destroy it and the orcs commanding it. I recognized that it was likely made by the smith of Gond so we salvaged what we could from the golem hoping to sell it to the smiths for repurposing.
    The Smith merchant offered us a small fee for the parts which we accepted, I decided then that the Smith should also be turned over to the guard for selling weapons of war to the enemies of the city.
    He tried telling me that he is allowed to sell to whoever he wants and that I had no base to accuse. I reminded him of the law regarding aiding and abetting enemies of the city was against the law and this could very easily be taken as a direct threat to the city. Between Karrick and I we convinced him that we could overlook it if he had the smiths make us both a suit of armor at a discounted price to which he grudgingly agreed to.

    =====

    Training continues to progress, I saved up enough to buy better armor and a shield and now I can fight the worgs with little difficulty. They are great practice as well, not too easy and not too hard. Eventually I decide that I should probably look at improving my equipment magically. I start with a sword and make it potent against the evils of the land. Considering I rarely detect good from anything I fight I decide this is the best course of action to take regarding the sword. I have the temple clerics enchant it for me but they insist I place a curse on the sword to put me under a gease so I cannot use the blade against them to which I agree.

    =====

    I finally got a moment alone with Aoth, I don't know what it is about her that I find so enticing. The way she moves, her strength, her grace, I can tell we come from the same land, I would like to know more about her. I don't sense any inherent good from her but I know she is not malignant either, a creature of balance, another of her qualities that appeals to me. I wonder if she left Thay for the same reason I would not go back.

    =====

    The church continues to train me and put pressure on me to learn about undeath but I just don't find it appealing. The long death have never sought undeath, we have sought the perfect death. I am satisfied to use the tools they have taught me to my own means, even the undead I find has been helpful now and then, but I don't make an effort to create them and I always see to its destruction when its usefulness has outlived its purpose.

    I am unsure what to do, I can't just leave them, even though I don't see eye to eye they have taught me a lot and I would not just turn my back on that. At the same time though I feel myself being pulled away by other forces I cannot comprehend.

    ====

    The church had another training session for me, they said they had captured someone who was trying to do them harm. They left his fate in my hands.

    I spoke with the man, a follower of Jergal sent to destroy us 'necromancers' I assured him I was no necromancer nor do I seek to become an undead. He thought it was strange of me to say so.
    I think the church expected me to kill him, I did not sense any good from him, and he did not attack me directly… If the church wanted him dead they should tell me to kill him, if he doesn't attack me then I have no reason to dirty my blade. Again this leaves me with questions and more confusion. . .

    I wish I could talk to someone like me, someone who has been through what I have.. I'm not sure what I will become if I remain lost like this.

    I wonder what Aoth is doing right now. Maybe I will ask her for a bottle of wine sometime...


  • Several weeks has passed since coming to Narfell. Scott has managed to earn a decent living and discover new ways of fighting outside of his monastic training. He managed to save up and buy Full Plate armor from a local merchant, and was able to salvage a tower shield from a skeleton and a hammer from an orc.

    Continuing with his pursuit of wealth nearly forgetting about his reason for being here, eventually Scott had earned enough to buy a pair of boots he had been eyeing for some time in Oscura, they would allow him to be more nimble on his feet allowing him to avoid blows in combat.

    Once he had enough money he returned to Oscura to buy the boots, after getting there and looking at the boots, however, he decided that the cost may not be worth it considering how long it took to save up. While mulling over it a man tapped him on the shoulder.

    "Hey there, mind if I have a moment of your time?" The figure spoke.
    "Oh not at all." Scott replied politely.
    The two of them move off to a quiet area to speak.
    "I have noticed you coming and going from the Monastery lately, I hear you seek the Long Death. They are not being receptive?" He said solemnly.
    Hesitantly, Scott simply replies. "No, they wont acknowledge me."
    "Are you a Monk of the order? You can tell me, this is a city free of judgement."
    "Well technically no, I was never officially initiated, but I have lived and trained with the Monks for most of my life and I was instructed by my tutor to come here."
    "A pity, you seem to be very talented, I can tell by your demeanor. Perhaps I can be of assistance. If you still seek the perfect death I may have something even better to offer you."
    "Oh, well I am unsure of that. The Monks said that was something to find above all else but I think I may pave my own path."
    "Oh that is excellent, perhaps you might consider My Order instead? We are not Monks but we could definitely have use of your skills even as you are now. How does that sound? You can even continue to seek the perfect death however you see fit"
    Scott seems intrigued by this proposal, he doesn't feel it would betray his former master but it would give him direction.
    "That would be ok I think, what order is it you speak of?"
    "We serve the Vaunted, Lord of Death. You would make an excellent servant to his cause. He especially appreciates those of your Monastic Order"
    "Oh? Well ok I guess."
    "I noticed you were looking at those boots with hesitation. They are overpriced garbage, I recommend getting your own enchanted to suit your needs, we can help you with that at the church. You may even be able to work off a bit of the fee while we teach you to serve The Vaunted."
    "I would appreciate that. Perhaps I will just get the bracers for now."
    The figure just nods. "When you are ready to learn, come to Oscura again, and I will have an acolyte bring you to our Temple."

    After that the figure departs into the shadows of the undercity leaving Scott to continue his business on the docks. For some time after that Scott comes and goes from Oscura, each time being led by a different pale skinned boy to an undisclosed location where he is taught the ways of Velsharoon. His mind being corrupted as the previous education of the long deaths perfect death is manipulated to seeking a perfect un-death.


  • Being a simple farm boy later trained in the martial proficiency of the Monk order of the Long Death, as well having little to no funds to secure transport, made it difficult for Scott to reach his destination.
    Finding the odd job on the way and managing to get help by means of politeness were the weapons used to make his way to Narfell though it took almost 3 years to make the journey. During those three years Scott was able to open up to people in ways he never did before. The witless nature had all but left him leaving only a strong handsome and polite man behind.

    While traveling Scott was able to learn a bit about where he was heading, and he learned that what had happened to him was not good, it often provoked many arguments and sympathy which he did not like, to the point that he would stop talking about his past all together.

    The first thing Scott did was seek out the Long Death as he was instructed unfortunately the Monks he spoke to refused to acknowledge him as he was never officially initiated into the Order. This dismayed Scott and left him unsure of what to do. In the meantime he would continue to learn to survive while he thought about how to proceed.

    His polite nature made it possible to make a few friends easily enough though he still refrained from revealing too much about his past.

    Without the monks to continue training him, Scott had to learn new ways to survive, eventually learning to use weapons and to wear armor. He hasn't forgotten what he was told by M though and continues to strive to discover the perfect death.