#malquis boneshot

[worldsneverfilled]

The 11th Wanderer - Malquis —You Sneaky Bastard of a Husband

This is just something fun I wrote to show the dynamic between Malquis and her husband Aerdeth...along with the joke about naming Wanderers after flowers spelled backward. He’s a little shit when he wants to be, but also a lovable nerd. He’s where Enilasor gets it from.

Standing at a lectern in his office, Aerdeth gently rocked Enilasor in one arm with a pen in the other. Despite the newest addition to their family, there was work to be done. The Autumn Archon's majordomo, Jainier, couldn't do her job and his for several months straight. Either of them could do a week on their own at most, but longer than that, they would fall behind. Even as tired as he was, he couldn't set aside all of his duties.

The lectern held a small book with the records for the estate. He knew there was a mistake somewhere in the financial records; the ledger didn't match the reality. He raised his pen and began writing out the numbers in the air. Enilasor almost dropped the toy she was gumming when the light blue numbers glowed above her, her unaligned, gray eyes going comically wide in wonder. Aerdeth caught the lack of movement in his peripherals and glanced down to witness her enthrallment. Curious little thing.

Even if she couldn't understand him, he started murmuring out each number, which was pulled from the funds for this or that expense, and which was added from what source. At least one person in this world didn't complain about him and his love of numbers and teaching said numbers. Malquis tried her best, bless her, but her thing was more history than numbers; he appreciated the effort to keep up with him and encourage his rambling about money and the economy.

Enilasor babbled at him and reached a tiny, chubby hand out towards the lights. A soft smile tugged at his lips. He was gone for this kid, his little hope in life. She was generally peaceful and unbothered by much—Aerdeth's father joked that a bomb could go off beside her and she wouldn't hear a damn thing if she were asleep—but she did "talk" incessantly. She had a habit of adding her own commentary to whatever discussion was happening around her; most people didn't resist the urge to indulge her sweet little chatter.

On a few occasions, she seemed to reach for something when nothing was there, though. She just giggled and babbled and continued to make grabby hands at the air. His wife was more magically inclined than he was; Aerdeth assumed Enilasor might be seeing threads and whisps of magic or something like Malquis did.

"Now, that number there? The four hundred fifty-eight thousand gold? That paid for new grain silos for the harvest this year. Autumn and Winter predict a much larger yield over the next few months, and they wanted to be prepared for it. 'The worst usually happens when we're unprepared, so better to be ready for every possibility.'" Enilasor cooed in his arm and reached up for his face, grabbing at his nose and warbling around the toy ring as she explored. "Exactly. Be prepared for the best and the worst. Anything, everything, and nothing at all."

He started to say something else, but the door to his office opened with a slam, and Aerdeth nearly came out of his skin at the interruption. His grip around Enilasor tightened on protective reflex, and the pen fell out of his hand. Malquis stood there, pointing at him and glaring with a mix of frustration and amusement. "You! You named our daughter Rosaline backward, you little shit?!"

It took Aerdeth a second to process what she said before he cracked up. About damn time.

"Only took you a few months...other Wanderers did it. I thought we could keep the tradition going." He grinned at her, and she scowled.

"You're a sneaky bastard of a husband. Be glad I love you."

"And be glad that you're not armed?"

"You don't know that I'm not," she mumbled with a sniff.

Aerdeth snorted and slowly made his way across the office. "Darling, we've been together for forty-eight years now. Do you think I can't tell when you're armed with a physical weapon?"

"Besides the point."

Still grinning, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. "So, are you actually armed with something?"

Enilasor stopped playing with her father's face and reached for Malquis instead. She indulged her, kissing her forehead, then gently tickling Enilasor's palm with a finger. Enilasor giggled quietly.

Malquis huffed and shot Aerdeth a look; she was smiling, but her tone was almost petulant. "...no."

"That's what I thought." His eyes widened, and he spun away to hurry back to his desk. "Wait! I know where I went wrong..."

Malquis leaned against the doorway, listening to him ramble to Enilasor about the purchase he forgot to document last week. Enilasor was more interested in his jabot, tugging and playing with it. He was oblivious to her newest fixation until she began gumming at the fabric; the taste and texture were far more interesting than her toy's.

He snorted and tried to free the lace. "Oi, you have to listen. This is fantastic news, and it's very important that you understand why..."

[worldsneverfilled]

The 11th Wanderer - Malquis—To Lose a Stranger

Malquis felt empty as she stared down at the grave. They had carefully dressed her mother in her armor and the cloak she had worn when she was a Companion, tucked her into her coffin with love and care, and rested her weapons atop her abdomen and chest. It felt hollow, like a mockery to a woman who was great in her own right, to show love and affection like this when it felt like a lie. She was a great woman, but not a good one. Not to Malquis, at least. She felt no affection from her mother. She was nothing more than just another soldier to Ethrine, perhaps less so.

She...cared about her mother, but Malquis wouldn't say she loved her. The care was more like caring for the average person as the Wanderer. She wanted them to be safe and flourish in life, but she held no personal attachment to them.

Outside of training, she never saw her mother. She was always working, either in Knashthra's military as a first-class general or as the Wanderer. Her father was the one to show her unending love and care. Her father was the one who deserved her sobs over his grave when he passed, not Ethrine. Ethrine didn't feel like she was worth the effort to mourn her like a child should be able to for their parents.

Malquis was a Knashthran; she wouldn't lie about her emotions and put on a show for others. She'd always been blunt in private, in company she felt comfortable with.

Gods, she had a better relationship with her grandmother than with Ethrine.

The thought spurred a spike of anger in her.

"Are we done?" she asked quietly, trying to keep her tone even but failing to hide all of the harshness of it.

"Yes."

Malquis nodded and turned away, leaving her grandmother to mourn her daughter privately if she wished. Malquis had no tears to shed for her mother. She didn't. None...

Except she did.

Once she arrived home, her husband took one look at her and opened his arms. Malquis broke down and sobbed. He closed the distance between them and gently removed her mask, setting it on the table behind him before drawing her in.

She hated Ethrine. She hated what she never had, what Ethrine withheld from her. Malquis mourned what could have been if only Ethrine hadn't been so cold and distant from her. Did Ethrine love her in any capacity, or was she nothing more than a burden to her? A child to pass on the family tradition and nothing more, a checkmark for her duties as the Wanderer.

She hated herself for wishing for more from their relationship, for mourning the loss of what-ifs that she would have never had.

She wouldn't do this to their child. She would drown them in love if that's what it took; they would never know her to be anything else but compassionate and loving. It would embarrass the hell out of them, but dammit, they couldn't say she didn't care for them. They would never want for affection.

After she had calmed down, she searched for paper and pen and wrote out the prayer and instructions for the ceremony. She would need it for Nolsara one day.

"It's to the gods we thank for the passing of ___ as swift, and pray that they will carry their soul with care and compassion to the After." Pull from a pouch of ashes made from the burned prayer for the dead Wanderer, blessed salt, and powdered silver. Sprinkle it over the soil where the Wanderer’s head would be for protection of the mind, over their heart for protection of the soul, and then over their feet for safe travels to the After. "Do not terry, for we wish not for their soul to find purchase in this world. ___ is deserving of peace and honor for their service, worthy of rest." If the future or new Wanderer is present, have them do the same so they will remember the rites for future use.

[worldsneverfilled]

Wanderers and Loss (WIP)

List of Wanderers and what has been lost/ruined in their lives, plus any major failures. DM said that it could be losing a loved one, someone being injured/disfigured, tragedies of various kinds. This won't include everything because DM has plans for some of them but this is to help me keep their stories straight for future use when I write shorts for them. I’m not done with all of them, but since it’s a temporary ref for my own use...

---

The bit of a document my character was given that talked about the Wanderers reads as follows:

The document Orestes brought gave a detailed recollection and account of all Wanderers up to Enilasor.

The title is “Ruminations on the Wanderers” and the author is unaccredited

 It opens with “Commissioned by Her Imminence, Ilsevele Nikatrix Basilea Miritaros, in the Seventy-Second year of her reign, to the honor of Malquis Boneshot, her friend and confidant, as penned by a friend to Wanderers of past generations, who wishes to remain anonymous out of reverence for the office they seek to extol”

A few things stand out to you including:

•it is written in an odd dialect. Not unrecognizable as Elvish, but in a dialect that you can’t quite place.

•The author goes into great detail on each of the Wanderers, personal and intimate detail. Bizarrely so. Almost as if the author knew each of the Wanderers personally. [asked J about my character and her mother, but the document was written about 200 years prior to the campaign and is therefore not been updated with whatever Malquis and Enilasor have lost or witnessed]

•The Wanderers are each detailed as having lost something of extreme personal significance in their lifetimes. Not just one or two of them, all of them. The author even waxes on why it seems the Wanderer has been “specially chosen to receive such punishment, despite no known action necessitating such reprisal.”

•Ecelnara is noted to have been “horribly changed by the Cataclysm of Phylandropolis” but clarified that “Wanderers seldom escape their tragedies unchanged.” But also that Ecelnara never spoke on the fall of the city, even when asked. “But the wails and desperate cries heard in the dead of night from her quarters lead only to believe that the information weighed heavy on her mind.”

The account closes with this excerpt: “The Wanderer is not a hero. She is not a savior or messiah. The Wanderer is a helper, one who takes pride in her work as one who lives to help others. No matter what tragedy she faces, nor what loss she must endure. The Wanderer remains strong in the face of adversity, maintaining that right is as right does.”

 Bolded are those our DM already has plans for. Ecelnara is a partial exception since I already know a tiny bit about her story.

Ysiad: Her twin brother the Traveler

Quiemti: DM planned information

Ecelnara: Her husband and best friend, along with the entire capital of Rasilian fell into the sea; being separated from some of her children during the Spellplague. Anything else will be something that the DM hasn't shared with me yet.

Illyanara: Swore to keep a noble's son safe on his trip through Erlkazar because of the increasing vampire and werefolk attacks, but he was killed anyway, despite her attempts to protect him. She was injured in the process and left for dead, although she managed to get to a nearby town for aid. Illyanara (and future Wanderers, technically) is not allowed to return to that nobleman's province after that, a law that has been followed since, to much confusion of the current residents.

Alleb: Her parents didn't give her the same attention and affection her grandparents did; her father, an only child, was bitter that Illyanara skipped him. Illyanara and her husband wound up taking Alleb in. She lost her parents but gained two others.

Yesor: TBA

Callornti: Lost both of her daughters and found a contact of hers that was horribly mauled by a werewolf yet still alive somehow.

Zarnith: Lost his both of his sisters and the younger of the two was the intended Wanderer for that generation; it cost him peace in his home with his husband, though they made amends later in life

Nolsara: DM planned information

Ethrine: DM planned information

Malquis: She didn’t have the best, most loving relationship with her more militant-minded mother. She had a better, softer relationship with her father, however, but that didn’t make up for what she didn’t have with her mother. She promised to not be the same to Enilasor, both as her mother and as her mentor. Ignored whispers of what was going to happen to Baldur’s Gate, something she regretted upon its fall into Avernus.

Enilasor: Unwilling participant in her mother’s murder, Arix being horribly injured in a fight against Electra and not completely healed when Enilasor tried to bring him back, watching the genocide of an entire religion, more tba probably.

[worldsneverfilled]

Knashthra, Feywild

So 70% of this is lifted directly from campaign notes my DM ( @materialistteacher ) and I put together over the last year. I may make more posts in the future though. Not sure yet.

Government:

Semi-Democratic Oligarchy, headed by:

Nyhmorarch

Four Archons of the Seasons

Summer - Polemarch

Spring, Autumn, Winter - Eponymous Archons

Blessings Tree:

History and Legends meshed into one, claiming that the Blessings Tree is a gift from the gods, a seed that was given to the first people in the region to care for. They were taught how to shape it without harming it and how to encourage its growth. After millennia of this magic slowly shaping the tree into a hub of life, housing council halls, markets, and more within, the tree sings with magic. Furthering this influence, a Forge of Creation lies amongst its roots, though many have forgotten of its existence. While it's not currently operational, its continued existence prevents leaving a space in reality that will be filled by something else.

Over time, the Blessings Tree had shoots sprout from its roots throughout the vale, providing its inhabitants with homes they could shape for themselves.

Because of the nature of their architecture, Feywilders who have magic that's closely tied to emotion are taught from a young age to control themselves so their magic wouldn't harm the Tree or its offspring.

The Blessings Tree functions as a sort of magical translator, allowing people who speak different languages to understand one another easily. It could be likened to a powerful, AOE comprehend languages spell. 

Geography:

Nestled within the Misty Giants Mountains vale, Knashthra lay hidden behind illusions and wards. The paths that lead travelers through the mountains and into the vale are expertly hidden, the magic fueling them stemming from the Blessings Tree and Knashthra's inhabitants. It makes invasion difficult as the mountain range is high and it would be difficult to march or fly in an army. Starving them out could take years because of their self-sufficiency.

The weather is varied, perfectly demonstrating the best and worst of each season just as the Knashthrans themselves do. A wide river flows from the Northeast to the Southeast, the source from a spring at the base of one of the many snow topped mountains. It ends in a deep pool, though where the water goes from there is unknown. The amount of water that poured from the spring was enough to irrigate the fields and the land is fertile for farming. Whether it was the magic of the Feywild, the Blessings Tree, the soil's natural state, or something else, Knashthrans weren't quite sure, but they didn't question it. They thank the gods for the bounty, and on the spring equinox, they celebrated the beginning of a new, bountiful year and shared what they have with one another. Most of the largest plants in the region are the shoots from the Blessings Tree that were grown and shaped into homes and shops.

Agriculturally, they produce edible crops on the south side of the river and necessary ingredients for their dyes along the northern shores. For cattle, they're raised along the western border of the vale. There is little mining, Knashthrans not wanting to weaken the structures of the mountains, although they have one copper mine in the north. Most metals are imported through Cormanthyr.

On the whole, it is a picturesque nation, seeming almost perfect. But not quite. 

Culture:

Population:

Elves — 60% Fey Eladrin, 11% Noble Eladrin, ≈1% Other Elven Races

Fairy — 12%

Firbolg — 8%

Other Fey Races — ≈8%

Family Dynamics:

Families are generally small in regards to the number of children, but they are communal units. Usually families share households or "groves," which include multiple generations. For an example of a family unit, Enilasor Mistfield's and her late mother Malquis Mistfield née Boneshot's family "grove" is made up of them and Aerdeth Mistfield' (Enil's father and Malquis's husband), Malquis's brother and his son, her father, and Aerdeth's parents. Their tree homes are clumped together and have raised walkways grown from tree branches to connect to wrap-around porch like structures.

Family is sacred and punishing children with violence isn't illegal but it is highly frowned upon to strike a family member to the point where one is ostracized in society until the struck party has publicly forgiven the offender, after the offender has taken steps to amend their behavior (more on practices surrounding apologies will be further explained in the next segment). People can't and won't prevent you from purchasing or trading for necessary supplies like food and drink, but they will give you the silent treatment and can refuse service for non-necessities like tablecloths or what-have-you, as a silly example—things that aren't needed for survival. Knashthra is a prosperous nation and no one goes hungry or is without shelter, even those who have cause great offense or committed a crime.

Practices Surrounding Behavior:

Self-improvement isn't quite a religious practice but there is heavy emphasis on bettering oneself for their sake and the sake of those around them and their nation as a whole. It's a person's near civic duty to better themselves after seeing where they fall short or if they make a mistake.

This is generally applied to personal relationships. An apology is a promise to do better, and to break any promise made is to lie. Knashthrans as a whole, avoid lying. Some fey in the Feywild are physically incapable of lying, and out of respect for them, the Wilders in Knashthra who can lie choose not to unless their life, or that of another, is in danger. It's just rude and unfair, they would say with a near insulted sniff.

In regards to an apology, as stated above, it's a promise. When someone wrongs or hurts another, they take steps to correct their behavior as proof that they care enough about the other person before they apologize. If the relationship between them is close, like a couple, and they have shown before that they are willing to change and have changed, then an apology can be delivered shortly following the incident. However, depending on the severity of it, an apology can take anywhere from a few days to several years to be delivered.

This does not usually affect their social standing and result in being ostracized.

Social/Economic Hierarchy:

From top to bottom.

Government:

Nyhmorarch

Four Archons of the Seasons. Which among them has more power at the time depends on the current season and the seasons that follow. For example, Spring has more power in the spring, but Summer and Autumn share the next tier because of the effects on agricultural planning. Winter would have the least at the time. In autumn, Autumn would have the most but Winter would be next, both because of time and because of preparation for food stores.

The Three Judges of the Blessings Tree

Diplomats of foreign nations will be included for the sake of governmental importance.

The advisors for each Archon that go by the title Seasonal Seneschal, as their duties vary. Each Archon has 2-4.

Artisans, Farmers, and Merchants:

Artisans and Farmers. Depending on the seasonal needs, one group would have more power than the other. Dyers and weavers would usually be wealthier than most other because dyes and textiles are two of Knashthras major exports, with farmers coming in at a close second.

Merchants, usually for imported materials or less necessary goods.

General Working Class

Anyone between bakers to sanitation workers to ranchers. One job doesn't usually pay more than another. Every job plays an important role in their society and is necessary for daily life.

Depending on their role, staff at the Archons' homes and offices might be higher or lower than the above

Priests. They have their own hierarchy.

Religion:

There are smaller, roadside like temples scattered about the country, but the main temple is located within the Blessings Tree on the second boughs (levels, like floors within a building).

The temples welcome the worship of most gods and pantheons, and each priest is, on average, dedicated to 1-4 gods, with multiple priests for each group.

As an example, Enilasor is a priestess of the Horae, and her grandfather, who is one of the six high priests of the temple, is a priest of the Horae along with six other gods, since the high priests had a larger responsibility within the temple. They were each over 3 or 4 groups.

The main temple in the Blessings Tree presently has 39 priests, with several training to join the priesthood.

Roles within the temple vary, with at least one priest filling one of several roles for each group of gods.

High Priest (Enilasor's grandfather, for example)

Keepers (would maintain the archives and stories/teachings of the gods, sharing the knowledge freely and openly within the priesthood and with the public)

Ritualist (would conduct weddings, lead prayers, or perform funeral rites; they also provided general counseling for those needing comfort after loss, for example)

Miscellaneous Roles (this would include healers, those providing physical aid to those in need, caretakers for the temple, etc.; Enilasor is/was over the group that provides aid through collecting donations or making/purchasing the supplies if what was needed was not readily available, such as making blankets and coats in the winter for example. When needed, she and two of her friends and fellow priests would work together on commissions to raise money to purchase the supplies if funds were low. The priests within the miscellaneous roles sometimes had to be creative and work late into the night if there were problems within the Knashthran community or in another nation)

Locations of the Fey Crossroads from Faerûn to the Feywild are located in:

The Neverwinter Wood outside the city of Neverwinter

Myth Dranor in the Hall of Mirrors in the Grand Palace - Leads to multiple places in the Feywild, however, it can only be used by invitation from the Coronal. To attempt to use it otherwise will not end well for the user.

Until/unless DM says otherwise, I'm placing a few here since DnD canon is unclear about exact locations. They're described in being out-of-the-way or hard-to-reach places, sometimes where no sapient beings but the fey have walked, sometimes where great tragedy took place, sometimes it's as simple as a random fairy circle that popped up after it rained a week ago.

Old Sharandar

The Cloud Peaks

Near Candlekeep (formerly, portal destroyed during the Spellplague)

Methwood (formerly, portal destroyed during the Spellplague)

Planes of Purple Dust

Eastern side of the Thunder Peaks (active)

The Great Glaciers (unknown if active, or exact location)

Ice Spires

Inspo for Knashthra with credit:

Treehouse Village by Carloscara

Elven Village by Carloscara

The Svalich Woods by Carloscara

Very simple aerial view of Knashthra’s capitol surrounding the Blessings Tree - Mine, from this post

[worldsneverfilled]

OCs: The Coming of the Dark

Enilasor Mistfield (Knashthra, Feywild)

Meadow Lithreed (Knashthra, Feywild)

Lindel Fairfield (Knashthra, Feywild)

Nalthia Brightleaf, Summer Archon and Polemarch to Knashthra (Knashthra, Feywild)

Reywolfyam Boneshot (Enilasor’s Family) (Knashthra, Feywild)

Kalne (Knashthra, Feywild)

Dronos Sark, Spring Archon (Knashthra, Feywild)

Maddie-Kay Farfew, Scribe to the Spring Archon (Knashthra, Feywild)

Hran Thithner, Winter Archon (Knashthra, Feywild)

Aerdeth Mistfield (Enilasor’s Family), Advisor to the Autumn Archon (Knashthra, Feywild)

Joel Copper, The Other Joel (Knashthra, Feywild)

Anwar Boneshot (Enilasor’s Family) (Knashthra, Feywild)

Zaklos (Feywild)

Dolenar Kardlen (Knashthra, Feywild)

Anonna (Feywild)

Farsk (Cormanthyr)

Joel Copper (Knashthra, Feywild)

Golandral Stoutfeather Heteiros (Rasilian Empire, in a region that's now Cormanthyr)

Hadrial Marsid (Knashthra, Feywild)

11th Wanderer: Malquis Mistfield (Knashthra, Feywild)

10th Wanderer: Ethrine Boneshot (Knashthra, Feywild)

9th Wanderer: Nolsara (Knashthra, Feywild)

8th Wanderer: Zarnith (Knashthra, Feywild)

7th Wanderer: Calornti (Knashthra, Feywild)

6th Wanderer: Ysor (Knashthra, Feywild)

5th Wanderer: Alleb (Knashthra, Feywild)

4th Wanderer: Illyanara (Knashthra, Feywild)

3rd Wanderer: Ecelnara (Rasilian Empire, in a region that's now Cormanthyr)

2nd Wanderer: Quiemti (Rasilian Empire, in a region that's now Cormanthyr)

1st Wanderer: Ysiad (Unknown)

Ned'Dad (Rasilian Empire, in a region that's now Cormanthyr)

Doctor Olivka Crolum (Erlkazar)

Mepha Azat (Feywild)

[worldsneverfilled]

The 10th Wanderer — Ethrine Boneshot née Carrowine

Type: NPC

Aliases: Unknown

Pronouns: She/Her

Relationship: Married - Feldrin, Husband

Race: Fey Eladrin

Home: Knashthra, Feywild

Age: 587

Class: Psi Warrior

Spell (Ability) of Choice: Bulwark of Force

Weapon of Choice: Longsword and Shield

Job: General

Loyalty: Knashthra, Family

Alignment: LN

Height: 5'11

Personality: Stoic, by-the-books, not affectionate with her children but not cold to her family as a whole either (Malquis swore to be more affectionate to Enilasor than her mother was to her; Malquis swore her mother cared more for her soldiers than Malquis and her brother), and commanding.

Status: Deceased, Influenced (known)

Strategy: Attack as one unit or confuse the enemy to gain the advantage.

Known For: Ethrine had a shield with a dizzying, intricate pattern on it that she used as a distraction to confuse her enemies long enough for her to get close and strike.

Tidbits:

Believed Malquis needed to know how to use weapons before she learned to fight with magic.

The Psi Warrior was actually going to be Malquis rather than Ethrine until we started the campaign and she wound up being a wizard after a bit of confusion on how Enilasor got the Mage Slayer feat. Ethrine was originally a bard I think?

Ethrine had a love of hand puzzles and used them to calm her mind after a fight.

Had dried herbs all over the place in the house, all hanging above their respective plants. She loved the routine of tending to them.

[worldsneverfilled]

The Wanderers, Old to New

I'll update this as I continue posting the rest of the Wanderers. Eventually, I will make a family tree and sort out who had who or whatever.

Ysiad Daphills

Quiemti

Ecelnara Stoutfeather

Illyanara

Alleb

Yesor

Calornti

Zarnith

Nolsara

Ethrine Boneshot

Malquis Mistfield née Boneshot

Enilasor Mistfield

And here's the family tree