3. Shadow Wolf

Shadow Wolf


  • "Just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it's not there". -Karion Silverbow

    These are the words I live by. They pertain to the Wolves of Narfell and their ability to remain hidden and watch from afar. My goal was to become a Wolf ever since I first met Lord Silverbow when I was a mere elfling of the encampment deep in the Rawlinswood. I am Faelar Meliamne, Wolf Scout, and these are my stories.

    The Wolf
    I was too young to remember the days of the Defiler but I remember the stories well. My mother, father, sister, and I barely escaped with our lives. Father, a former scout of the encampment taught Mialee and I the ways of the ranger at an early age through play. Hide and seek taught us how to stay hidden, move unheard, track and assess our targets before engaging. These were all things that I excelled at. For years we called Jiyyd our home. Then my dream came true. I was given the chance to become a Wolf of Narfell, a part of the pack of that Lord Silverbow belonged. I was deeply saddened to learn of his passing. I had so hoped to meet him again and show him what had become of me. I doubt he would have even remembered me anyway. An elf as important as he would have much greater things on his mind than an elfling he saw once, perhaps twice.
    One day, while on patrol in the Rawlinswood, I simply wandered off. I got so caught up in the wonders of the wilds that I became one with them an had gone feral. A lone wolf, I was, in the wilds of Faerun. Rillifane had shown me the way while Fenmarel watched over me like a cub. To this day I still hold the Leaflord in the highest regards yet I have gained much respect for the Lone Wolf. Upon my return many things had changed. Jiyyd was no more due to the N'Jast War. Sam's Hill was now a hole in the ground with a dwarven stronghold rising from it. The Wolves had dissipated into a mere legend and few knew of their existence. That reminded me of Lord Silverbow's words, "Just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it's not there". I sought to find what few Wolves were left. I traveled south to Norwick. It was there that I first saw the most beautiful creature that I had ever seen or would ever see. She had the grace and wonder of a bird in flight. I was smitten from the beginning but could not let on that I was. However, I believe she could see the change in me whenever she was near. Ting is her name and she is to become, what the humans call, my wife.

    Off I go into the shadows! I have made many trips to the Lost City Climb and back now that Pixie had shown me the path there. Many times have I stayed in the shadows watching, waiting to be seen by goblins, bugbear, and even the ghost wolves deep in the forest. To my astonishment, I had not, not even once had they detected my presence. Through the Kuo Toa caves unseen and unheard. Orcs? They had no clue they were so close to death they could reach out and touch it. My only trouble are the creatures of the wilds. There's nothing I can do to avoid their sense of smell but, I am working on it.

    At first I had set out to kill every caster and assassin that I set upon but soon discovered that I was no assassin myself. I am a watcher, it's what I do. I sit in the shadows and wait for the opportune moment to strike. More often than not, that moment never arrives yet I still wait for I am a patient Wolf. A little too patient at times but patient none-the-less.


  • The Bows
    The bonding ceremony was over and the reception had begun. Food was being devoured and wine and mead flowed. The music played and even the wolves danced. All of a sudden the music stopped, the skies grew dark, and there was a weak knock at the gates to the den. I didn't know what it was at first. It looked like some sort of zombie and I was near to attacking it until she spoke. It was one of the professors from the Spellweaver. Assuming she had come to see Maria, who was there already and head mistress of the Spellweaver. I let her in.
    The necromancer came with gifts for Ting and I, which at first I didn't trust and was very short with her. Upon the necromancer taking her leave, I asked Thau'lira to look the bows over for any curse that may be present. Theaon, also there at the time, gave them a look as well. Both priests said the bows held no cusrses that they could find. I trusted both their words and their ability. In the process the darkness came to light and all was good once more.
    Ting and I picked up the bows and they felt quite impressive. The night was young and festive and we thought little of the bows for the rest of the evening. The party wound down and folks began to depart. It wouldn't be long before everyone was gone and only Ting and I remained. Our minds went to the bows immediately as if they were calling to us. We tried them out on the archery targets. At masters' range we were frequently hitting center bull's eye. The bow felt good in my hand. I wouldn't have to worry about buying arrows again as one appeared by magic at the touch of the bowstring. However, it's not adjusted to my strength nor as sentimental as my Wolfbow, which I cherish and will continue to use. I wrap the darkwood bow in white linen and put it away in my chest.
    I close my eyes and refleck of the days events. It would not be, as it was not the past the I saw in my mind's eye, or waking dream as Ting calls it.
    "All is quiet in the Den. A hint of moonlight shines through the clouds creating a feeling of tranquility. I hug our child tight and lay her to sleep in the cradle. A side glance to the bed nearby I see Ting in a state of reverie.
    A sudden chill fills the air. A skeleton bursts through the ground intent on the baby. In an instant I grab my darkwood bow and draw the string, an arrow appears magically and I let loose destroying the skeleton. A noise behind me catches my attention and I turn drawing another arrow but I stop. To my horror, my child, now an adolescent stands before me, eyes black as the abyss and skin as pale as death.
    The child smiled at me and moves to embrace me lovingly. I feel I might let loose an arrow on my beloved child.
    I suddenly feel like I'm shaking uncontrollably. As I gather my senses, I realize the whole thing was a dream, an uncomfortably real dream."
    I come out of reverie and look over at Ting who is still in a meditative state. Suddenly her eyes open and she stares straight into my soul.
    ""Did you have...?", she asked.
    "Yes", I replied.
    She then says, "You know.... it is already too late my wolf.... if the cycle has started... we have...."
    She needed not finish. I knew what she was going to say. Part of me was worried about the vision I had seen. Mostly I was elated that I was to be a father.
    The bow? Is it where I left it still. I had to see and I did. It would remain safe in my chest.
    TIng has been out and about all day. When she returns the states that she had been out testing the bow and it seemed to do well against the skeletons in the old Norwick Graveyard. We both head south and I too test the newly acquired bow on the undead. It performed well, quite a bit better than on living creatures. However, it was still useless against zombies. Still not all that impressed, I return my bow to the chest where I kept it.
    It calls to me. I hear it. It wants to be used. It talks to me but I resist. A skeleton rises from the ground. I reach for my Wolfbow but it's not there. Instead it's the necromancer's gift. I grab the bowstring and an arrow appears. I let loose and the skeleton is destroyed. Other than there being no child as of yet and Ting not being present, it just like my vision. In fact, I had thought it another vision, at first, and waited to come out of reverie. It would not be so this time. What just occurred was real. But I left the bow in my chest. I rushed to the chest inserted my key and opened the lid, slowly. I was hoping to see a bow there wrapped in white linen. I had hoped that I had put the wrong bow in the chest. There it was in the bottom. The white linen still wrapped around, to my surprise, nothing. I did have my Wolfbow but, the undead's appearance seemed to make the darkwood bow come to my hand instead. This indeed is an interesting bow.
    It speaks to me, promises power, but I resist the temptation. Ting, however, is having a rough go at it. She can't take the voice in her mind. The bow wants to be used and should be. I feel different when I use it though. It's as if I lose a part of myself. It's as if the Lone Wolf calls. I must do what is necessary for the survival of my family. Ting and the twins must be kept safe. No, I can't lose myself to Fenmarel's wild ways!
    I feel her. She's in trouble! I must find her!
    I emerge from the shadows as I enter the city of Peltarch and make my way to the commons. I can feel her fear. I can feel her anguish. I go to her.
    It's the voice of the bow. It calls to her. Skeletons rise from the ground. Instantly the bow appears in her hand and she lets loose a barrage of arrows with deadly precision. I try to calm her and get her to resist the urges of the bow. People have already gathered. Accusations fly of us leading the undead to the city but she and I think it's the bow. More skeletons burst from the ground. My bow, which I had left locked up at the den, appears in my hand. Without a thought we both let loose and the skeletons fall to the ground. We go to the lighthouse in hope of receiving help in getting rid of the bows. A paladin comes in and can see an evil aura about Ting and I but not originating from us. He asked to see the bows. We showed him and he confirmed that it was indeed the bows giving off the evil aura. He wants to destroy the bows. At first I was fine with that but the bow called to me. I couldn't let him destroy them. I rushed up to him to push him away but it was like pushing on a sturdy stone wall. He would not be budged. By this time, Ting had had all of the voice in her head that she could take. Others, I fail to recall who, grab her. They're hurting her. The twins!
    The darkwood bow comes to my hand by shear will. I reach for the bowstring but fail to touch it. I can't move. Ting can't move. We're trapped. NO! The bows!
    One by one the bows are destroyed and Ting and I released. All is well again. The voice is no more. We go back to the den.
    It calls to me. I hear it. It wants to be used. It promises power. It promises to unlock it's secrets. I must resist. It feels good in my hand. I must...


  • The Heart
    From the moment we first met, I knew she was the one for me. It was as if the Lone Wolf had let me go and the Leaflord lead me straight to her.
    I hadn't long returned to civilization from the wilds. I had been out for so long I had gone feral but something drew me back. At first I thought it was the love I had for my pack, my brothers and sisters of the Wolves. I could never had guessed that, when I look back, I now know that it was destiny.
    Immediately, I felt some sort of connection to her. It was as if we were kindred spirits, long separated, and now back together after too much time had passed. Although we were both considered rangers, it felt so much deeper than that. We were on a complete different plane of existence that any two before us.
    While on patrol, even though we would often lose sight of one another we knew where the other was. We knew what we were supposed to do without discussion. We knew one another's strengths and complimented them. We also knew the other's weaknesses and guarded those. This was just on instinct for we knew hardly anything about the other but, we would soon learn. We would come to know one another like none before us had. We would learn one anothers goals and fears, friends and enemies, loves and hates. We would even learn the other's habits and quirks and it was good.
    I can't really pin-point the day I fell in love with her. I can recall the day I proposed. It was late winter well after the winter solstice. The days were becoming longer and warmer as they passed. The sun was going down behind her. It was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. My mind filled with many thoughts and I barely got the words out.
    "A few times you have asked me what we are. Often I would reply with a shrug. On this day, in the here and now, I declare to you that we are us. I am your wolf and you are my heart. I ask you this day, in the here and now, to become one, to be the heart of the wolf, and I the wolf of your heart. I love you TIng. Will you do me the greatest honor in all of Toril and be my forever?"
    Looking back, she knew what I was asking before I ever spoke the first word and I knew what her answer would be. I wasn't at all surprised when she accepted.
    The engagement would be short. Only a few months would pass before we were to be bonded together, as one, in the eyes of the Seldarine. Neither of had family that would be there and I didn't have many friends outside of the pack. It would be a small, private ceremony with some of the closest people to us both. Thau'lira did a beautiful job officiating the ceremony and everyone seemed to enjoy seeing the two of us start our life together. I too couldn't wait to see what we could now become.
    I meant every word of my vow to her.
    "By root and seed, by bud and stem. By leaf and flower and fruit, by life and love, In the name of the Seldarine, Gods of the Elven people, I, Faelar, take thee, Ting, to my hand, heart, and my spirit, at the setting of the sun, and the rising of the stars. Nor shall death part us, for in the fullness of time, we shall be born again, at the same time, and in the same place as each other, and we shall meet and know and remember and love again."
    This is but the beginning, a seed planted for the future. What it may hold for us, we can not know, It will be ours, together. For all we know the Meliamne name could become legendary. The wolf now has his heart and they were now one entity that would be a force to be reckoned with.