Whudon Darkstone

Whudon and his Druidic brother Swampy the Dreadnought, joined other adventures to try and put an end to the Giant Ant Nest. However it did not go as planned.  They first fought to centipede infect with the mystery green substance. They were then surrounded by ants and Swampy decided to take the goop, causing him to bond and recieve strange powers from it, but only while in the nest. They then retreated and fought an Antbomination (hybrid Ant-Spider enforcer of the nest) As they attacked farmers. After defeating it and sending its body back to First Landing, they rested the night and returned to the nest. After mapping a portion of it, they found an entrance to a chamber, which was the chamber of the eggs meant to be queen. Here they fought 3 Antbominations and a swarm of ants who came to the defense of the nest. Barely surviving, they were able recall out and snatch an egg to bring back to for research. 

However, after the event, Whudon has become worried for his brother. The influence of the goop on him my be neglible but it still has a hold on him. He worries what will happen if they return to the nest and finally confront the Queen. This is a problem that can only be solved when it is faced.

He also decided to offer his services to the Paracelsian Clinic. Only time will tell if it is a right fit with his not so sunny personality.

We returned to the Nest, this time 12 people strong. I am glad the guild took my warning seriously. We split into 2 groups of 6, one to destroy the eggs of the queen, while the other to kill the current queen and the tree. Swampy and I were on the team to kill the queen and tree, and I will be honest, after our first venture, my friend has been acting off. Absentmindedly saying and repeating, "The strong survive - the weak nourish the cycle..." and it worries me. The guild and I have spoken on this, and they wish for me to... I believe in the boy, and I am sure his WILL is stronger than whatever is goop whispers to him. I must speak with him about this at a later point. 

Anyway, our teams split up when we reached the nest, and we went about the business of ending this grave threat to First Landing. We fought our way through Goop cursed giant Centipedes and Antbominations, getting hurt along the way, but it paid off eventually. We found the center of these creatures, a massive tree which had the Abomination of a queen, her guards, and a swarm of ants. The battle to her was difficult, the swarm was relentless, the guards ready to die to protect heir queen, and the giant horrible creature of an aberration itself. We battled to the best of our abilities, luck was on our side as hits and spells landed. I eventually hit the queen with a blast of cold, which earned her attention and complete hatred. She webbed me and was pulling me in to kill me, I saw the hatred in her alien eyes she had for me, for the pain I caused her. If not for the strike of Aoife Soo, I would be dead now. She struck the creature down in glory, even as it screeched a death wail, she stood atop it. I owe her my life and will pay it back some day.

When I was able to crawl out of being underneath the queen, I noticed Swampy, who had been obsessed with nothing but killing her himself, was nowhere close to the battle, but by the tree. He had the goop stained on his face, as if though he bit into the tree itself. He probably does not know that I noticed this... Anyway, We made our way to the tree when the last guard died by Archiebald great axe and the swarm tearing itself apart, and attacked the tree. With my last cold spell, I was able to chill the tree, killing it from the trunk to the very roots themselves. With the mission done, the eggs destroyed, the queen laid dead and the tree frozen inert, we recalled out and are now done free of that abomination. 

Hopefully, that was the end of this chapter, and we can move on to new adventures. Swampy and I.

Our new adventure begins. Guy Sourpatch and Swampy talked me into hunting a Troll for its meat. They discussed very colorfully how the meat would taste, I question what they have gotten me into. We met up with other adventurers, including Aoife Soo another companion from the nest eradication, Plova, and a new Iruxi, Shirkad. We went to the last spot the troll was sited and did not find much. Eventually, we decided to head to one of the mountains in view, Nested Point, as the likely spot the troll would hide in. I spoke with birds, and a friendly blue bird told me of it feeling a chilling wind coming from the base of the mountain.

We made our way there and found it infested with undead, that seemed to raise from the corpses of the human creatures eaten by the troll, which seemed to have a family of its own. We fought our way through them, one of the undead being a wight, but we were able to put all of them down. As we moved on and came across troll statues, which were not actually statues, Swampy was devious enough to us a spell which sacrificed a familiar to cause it to explode. This exposed the creature in disguise, an Ice Golem. The creature was difficult as its breath weapon almost put me down. However, we were able to kill it, but not without it leaving us an unpleasant surprise, an icy explosion of its own. We patched ourselves up and moved further into the cave, where the chilling breeze was strongest.

We finally found our targets, a frost troll and its two companions. With a well-used fireball scroll, we were able to bring the trolls down through spells, slings and blades. The others, all too glad and happy for the meal at hand, recalled out. I searched the cave and found the skeleton of an unknown warrior, it seems they attempted to fight the trolls themselves. No one should be left in this cold place alone, so I brought him back to First Landing. This was a successful endeavor. 

Swampy invited me to this grove he spends his time in, The Verdant Call, to discuss something with me. It is a beautiful place, and I should congratulate this druid who got it built up. But I found him where I expected, by the largest pool available. He gifted me a Flayleaf in a box, I have no idea who sold this to him, but I will need to have words with this man.

We moved back to the water and again, as I expected, it was about our recent adventures in the nest and his decision to eat the goop. He tried to explain it to me, but all I hear are alarm bells and warnings. An 'Entity' which claims to be the land, wanting a champion that will eradicate all those it deems a threat to the land itself? This is a terrifying thought. Swampy is overzealous in his wanting to protect the balance of nature, and he views everything civilized as a transgression against it. This 'Entity' could not have found a better host to carry out its machinations in the youngling. I will have to discuss this with the Explorers' Guild, for they already are on edge, but if they find him to be a potential threat... I must make sure that does not happen.

When I thought I could not be surprised by him, he fished something out of the water which I never could have imagined... A creature, a spider, which he has had seen the fall of the nest. Apparently, it has some sort of power and the boy is now, The SwarmKeeper, of this 'family' the 'Entity' dubs of those who give themselves to the power of the green goop. It took everything in me not to destroy it, freeze it, shatter it. But if I did, I would lose the boy forever, and I would have accelerated his path to complete hatred of civilization and others. He caught on to my unease, so I was honest with him about my fear for his safety. He seemed to understand, but only as much as one so young can. Not only that, but he cares not for the future and only thinks on now, so I must worry about the future for him.

But that was not all, again! The creature was set to evolve, and he wished for me to be a part of witnessing its ascension. Damn it all, I care for the boy and I stayed with him as it grew. So much larger than him, a potential threat, but it seemed to play with him, like a normal pet. The boy was so happy, he chooses to carry so much, and here he was laughing and being young. Torag, Father of Creation, Father of Dwarvenkind, Forge Father, give my aging soul strength. I hope what I did was right and I did not doom us all.

I must do what I can to help guide him, but I must be delicate. He is still young and in his eagerness, to protect nature, he might have struck a bargain with something he has no grasp of. I will do whatever I can to protect him, my boy. No matter what.

He went along to end more of the trees, and even though they ended that threat. They were not prepared for the angry giant beetles that came after them. As his companions became over run. He sacrificed himself to save Swampy, because that was the only plan that made sense. Now he is gone, and who knows what his fate is.