AUTHORS NOTE: I am not sure how many people here played the Divinity games, or how many played Divinity 2, however I have wanted to make a game somewhat related to it for some time now. I loved the story, characters and overall feel of the game and there are some plot points I wanted to use.
This will by no means be a carbon copy of the game. For one, that is a low effort thing to do and secondly my memory is nowhere near good enough to remember enough of the game to quote it verbatim.
SO, if you have played the game Divinity 2: Dragon Knight Saga, you may recognise some of the background and plot points. I will also keep it fresh by making both major and minor changes to names, backstory, the world at large and many other things.
I hope you guys enjoy!
Also, please excuse the length of the below introduction and Prologue. I got a little bit carried away…..
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Six decades. That has been the time since the end of the Great War, the War of Gods. The Pantheons Chosen, the Divine known in his human form as Davrus, and his close friend Muldrinus, Chief Wizard in the Wizards of Order, led the forces of Good against the Black Mass and their Lord of Chaos in an effort to prevent his summoning to the material world by the Black Mass’s cadre of dark wizards.
During the fighting, the Black Mass managed to complete the first ritual that brought the Lord of Chaos to the world as a small girl named Milandra. Davrus and Muldrinus hid the existence of the girl from the Black Mass as best they could, with Davrus even adopting the girl in order to teach her to tame the Chaos and use it against the dark evils of the world.
Unfortunately the reach of the Black Mass was long despite their defeat at war, and they did eventually learn of the girl. They sent the Dark Sorcerer Risenda to influence and corrupt Milandra in an effort to turn her towards the Black Mass and ultimately against her protector, Davrus.
When Davrus learned of Risenda, her membership of the Black Mass and her plot to corrupt Milandra, he confronted her. In the ensuing battle where Risenda tried to kidnap the girl, Davrus was forced to kill Risenda.
Milandra had grown close to Risenda, seeing her as a mother figure during their time together. The young teen thus saw Davrus’s killing of Risenda as a major betrayal. Davrus’ actions drove Milandra into the hands of the Black Mass better than anything before.
Davrus and Muldrinus chased the teen and her Black Mass supporters across the Continent of Larathas. Four years later, Davrus, Muldrinus and they party of Companions found and fought the Black Mass at Bleakmount Keep, a mighty fortress near the Dwarven mountains.
Although victorious, Davrus couldn’t bring himself to kill Milandra and instead banished her to the Alter-Dimension of Nemesis. Without their leader, the Black Mass shattered, with most branches of the foul organisation being rooted out and annihilated by the Divine Legions, the Elite soldiers of the Human Kingdoms that work as an extra-national force for good comprised of all good races.
Despite the banishment, Milandra, now older and even more powerful, managed to break her imprisonment. Slowly, she built up the Black Mass once again, this time also infiltrating and forcefully corrupting members of many of the Knight Orders present in the world that fought the worlds many vicious races and predators.
And so it was, 35 years ago, the Second Great War, or the War of the Damned One, when Milandra revealed herself and led her might armies to war against the Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs and others. The fighting was fierce, and almost constant for the five years it raged.
The war sucked in everyone and everything with a love of everything good or orderly. Knightly Orders joined by the dozen, the Divine Legions never stopped, and the armies of the kingdoms marched. However, the unyielding tide of demons, dark magic users, fanatics and cultists rarely abated.
Eventually, the Divine One, at the head of his mighty First Legion, led the forces of Good in a final battle, one attended by the revered Dragon Knights. These individuals were the chosen of real Dragons, gifted with the ability to transform into the might beasts themselves. Many wizards believed them to be half dragon hybrids sharing the blood of their patrons, created through the use of Old Magics by the ancient beasts.
During the climax of the battle, Milandra’s forces were folding under the assault of the Divine Legion and its allies. Playing her last card, she called upon her corrupted followers in the Dragon Knights. One in five of the Dragons and half of the Dragon Knights, compelled by the corrupting Chaos magic they had been exposed to (usually without their knowledge), turned on their allies, inflicting terrible damage on the forces of good. Davrus himself had to put down a dozen of these mighty warriors and several dragons that had been turned.
Once the battle was over, and Milandra had been supposedly killed at the hands of Davrus, the Dragon Knights were outlawed despite Muldrinus’s protests, maintaining the knights that had turned on them had been forced against their wills.
As word of their outlawing spread many rage-filled Knights, who had lost comrades to the Dragon Knights betrayal, banded together to form the Dragon Slayers. Despite many of the Dragons and their Chosen going into hiding, many still remained trying to clear their name or trying to hunt what remains of the Black Mass and their leader who many, including the Divine Himself, believe to be lurking somewhere in the netherworlds.
And so it has been for the last 30 years. Dragon and Dragon Knight hunted and killed for no fault of their own. The once mighty fortresses and towers of the Dragon Knights lay abandoned and in ruin, sieged and broken by the angered Knight Orders many years ago.
Any Dragon or Dragon Knight seen is treated with fear, and reported to the Dragon Slayers as quickly as possible. It is still not an uncommon sight to see the Slayers powerful zeppelins chasing wounded Dragons across the horizon, cannon and magi-launchers firing at them, driving them to the ground where they can be dispatched.
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(Authors Note: I am going with some rigid character details here, similar to some previous stories/games I have run. Please let me know if you want to change anything).
This is where you come in. You are a young slayer trainee, the third daughter of the Redthorn family. Your name is Evalyn Redthorn. The family history of the Redthorns displays a long tradition of Knightly warriors in the Order of the Blessed Way and loyalty to their Kingdom of Anudrau. Your great grandfather led the Redthorn contingent in the Second Great War, beating several numerically superior enemy forces and, alongside his allies, breaking the Damned Ones right flank.
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Your family is honourable and brave, however your Great Grandfather lost one of his sons and several brothers to the Chaos corrupted Dragons. As such, it has been a family tradition for tertiary heirs to the family, such as you, to join the Dragon Slayers, whilst the other children are destined for the Knightly Orders.
The Dragon Slayers are fierce warriors either recruited from young hopefuls or sourced from veteran warriors already battle-hardened under a Knightly Orders banner. All races are welcome in the order and all work towards the common goal of revenge.
Slayers are identifiable by their bright, sky blue but cloudy eyes which allow them supernatural sight and the ability to see a dragon or dragon knights Draconic Aura. The Slayer Sight can also uncover secrets, such as magically hidden doors, chests or other objects people may not want found.
Today, you arrive at the city-fortress of Farglaz to undergo the Slayer ritual, which will imbue a shard of Draconic spirit into you, giving you the Slayers Sight and augmenting your physical and mental abilities. You will also be required to choose your Slayers Path, from which your equipment will be specialised. Despite training for 5 years in the Slayer Academy, Slayers do have to specialise, as specialisation is important when composing a Slayer kill team.
You, alongside 7 other Slayer Trainees are currently aboard a Slayer Zeppelin heading for the Fortress Keep of Farglaz where the Slayer Oracle, who will guide you through the ritual, is located. Accompanying you and the other trainees are two veterans. Mageknight Alanra Silverleaf, a tall, elegant elf from the forest kingdom of Elacteil and Paladin Durien, a human from the Kingdom of Uristal. Both of whom have been training you and the other trainees for the past 3 years.
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The journey has been boring and uneventful, all subjects of conversation petering out as you neared the Fortress. Now, only a thick air of tension and nervousness permeates the air, as all of the trainees have heard of the times the ritual has not entirely had the intended results, usually driving the trainee mad or mentally crippling them. Or, as in one case, overloading the trainees magical reserves leading to a rather bloody explosion.
You look out of one of the armoured windows, and see the Zeppelin dock is nearing. It isnt long before you hear the tell-tale clunk of the zeppelin docking. A few minutes later, the large ramp to the cavernous passenger area you are in is opened and lowered, allowing you and your colleagues to disembark.
With a chuckle, Alanra watches you and the other trainees as you gawp at the size of the fortress. “Much larger than the training post in the Varsa forest, isn’t it?”
You can only nod dumbly as your little contingent walks forward into the keep proper. It seems everything has already been prepared for your arrival, as when you enter the ritual hall, the Oracle and her assistants are waiting. There are several wizards, mages, clerics and veteran Slayers around the hall likely waiting to induct whatever new recruits they get from this intake. Despite the relatively small size of your group compared to most, the Slayers still look to you with a smile.
You watch as your compatriots go first. Of the seven others than came with you, one chooses the path of the wizard, another two choose mages, one chooses the role of Mageknight, two choose the path of the Cleric and one chooses the role of the Paladin. All your compatriots are disoriented from the ritual, and are already been led off by their appointed new trainers. The ones that chose Mageknight and Paladin move back to you and the two accompanying trainers, as your group already knew anyone who chooses Mageknight or Paladin would continue their tutelage under Alanra and Durien.
Now, it’s your turn.
“Please, step forward, young one” The Oracle, a wisened human woman of incredible age, made undying by the power of the Divine One, said with a voice like silk. Not wanting to keep her waiting, you step forward into the Ritual Circle without hesitation.
“As you may already know, you will now undergo the Slayer Ritual. All Slayers go through this in order to attain the power needed to destroy the traitors. Be mindful, however, that until the stabilisation ritual is completed by your Path trainer, your mind will be open to influence from powerful magic sources. As such, do not attempt any summoning spells or other such magics that may expose your mind to the Old Magics of ancient times” You nod, certain that you will not be that careless.
“Now,” She says, as she approaches you. “Close your eyes and clear your mind.”
You close your eyes, suddenly becoming aware of the Oracles amazing magical power. You can feel the power as it radiates from her very being. As she reaches out to you, you start to feel a faint burning sensation in the base of your skull. As she touches you, the pain explodes and you struggle to stay standing up.
The pain is excruciating, however it does not last as long as you thought it would. When you open your eyes, you find that you are, like your compatriots, dizzy and disoriented. Struggle to stay standing as the Oracle asks you what path you want to choose.
You have put in much thought to this choice throughout your training in the Academy. You are highly trained in weapons, archery and magic, however you excel at both melee and magic more than anything else. As you carry your families Slayer Sword, a hand-and-a-half bastard sword specially made by the Redthorn master smith, you think deeply on what you want to do.
Your choices are between a Mageknight and a Paladin. Your ideas are influenced by your care for your trainers, and the knowledge that they are based out of your home town which is known for its unusually high number of Dragons and Dragon Knights as well as its very high number of monstrous beasts which you know are great for training on.
After several minutes’ deliberation, you choose the path of the Mageknight. Known for both their prowess with sword and blunt weapons, as well as the sheer magical mayhem they can throw around, Mageknights are a force to be reckoned with.
As you turn back to your trainer, Alanra smiles at you. “Congratulations. I am proud of all you have accomplished. However,” She says with a glint of humour in her eye. “Don’t get too full of yourself. You still have training to do, although now it will be getting used to the far superior mental, magical and physical capabilities you now have access to.”
You nod your acceptance of her advice.
“Tonight we rest, as tomorrow we will get you fitted with your Mageknight armour. Then, we will return to your hometown for the completion of your training.” She says with a smile. “And you’ll be able to dazzle your little brother with your new mind-reading capabilities.”
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As Alanra said, you woke the next day and, after going through your morning ritual and using the pre-prepared bath the servants ran for you, the first stop was the armoursmith who took your measurements and selected the parts of your new armour that would fit. Using his armoursmithing cantrips to subtly shape the armour around your gambeson covered body, it took half a day for the armour to be fitted around you, with some reinforcements adding to various parts of your armour.
With a finishing touch, the armoursmith turned a full body mirror towards you so you could look at yourself in your new splendour.
A pair of plated boots with good grip gives way to scale mail leggings, with plates covering the front, rear and outer side of your thighs. Articulated plate faulds over a scale skirt hang down from your breastplate that covers your entire torso front and back with strong armour over a chain under covering that protects the few weak points in the armour (such as the armpits). Your upper and lower arms are also protected by articulated steel plates over scale mail sleeves. Your armour lacks pauldrons, instead having a scale ‘cape’ like attachment that covers your shoulders. On your hands are articulated gauntlets and finally, a helm with a pivot visor, that is formed around your nose, leaving your eyes and mouth open. All made out of gleaming Brightsteel.
In all essence, you look every bit like the Slayer you feel you are.
Just in that moment, you are surprised and disorientated by a wave of nausea and dizziness. Alanra notices and tells you that these things will be periodic until the stabilisation ritual is performed to fully entrench the Slayer abilities into your mind.
Just as she finishes talking, a rather harried looking messenger runs up to Alanra carrying a message from Durien. Apparently around the town of Gothringen, a powerful dragon that has been repeatedly seen in the area eating the local livestock has been wounded and brought down in the nearby forest. The town guard is requesting Slayer intervention in order to rid the area of the creature.
Alanra gives you a worried look. You understand why. This is something that needs doing urgently, or else the Dragon may heal itself and flee. On the other hand, you are still vulnerable to Old Magics, and Dragons are masters of manipulating Old Magic. The message states that Durien and the other trainee are going as the stabilising ritual has already been partially completed for him and as such he is considered secure from the influences of the Dragon….
The only uncertainty is you.
So….What do you do? Do you risk it and rush to the area without completing the stabilisation ritual? Or do you work with caution, completing at least part of the ritual before going, but risk losing the Dragons trail if it flees?
Choose Wisely!Equipment:
- Slayer MageKnight Brightsteel armour
- Redthorn Family Slayer Bastard Sword
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Topic: (SG) Hunter to Hunted: A Slayers Journey (Read 1110 times)