Outline

Plot Overview

The story of Caledan the Brave told as a fairy tale to a trio of orphans. The tale is set during the backdrop of the Necromancer's War and involves the Templar Caledan accompanying a band of Starren Rangers sent to hunt down bandits wanted for murder.

During their travels, they are accosted by dark forces not expected to be found in this region. As they approach the bandits hideout in a valley, they find them dead and are quickly attacked by undead soldiers

As the battle progresses, they realize they are the forwarding scouts of an army attempting to surprise the nation of Starren. Caledan stays to hold the line while the Rangers return to warn of the oncoming attack.

Main Characters

Caledan—A Templar of Elúra, a Goddess of Light, who guards against the forces of Night and Shadow. He is 43 years old with trimmed black hair, grey eyes, and wrinkles showing his age and the stress of his duties. He stands 6'2" tall with a thick musculature indicating a life of grueling activity. He wields a shining steel greatsword with a hilt of gilded sunbursts. His armor is a gold trimmed steel breastplate and heavy greaves. Caledan is loyal and determined; willing to do what it takes to keep his soldiers alive.

Lurain—A Starren Ranger part of a squad of recently trained soldiers sent to patrol the eastern borders of the Starren Plains. Lurain is the youngest of the squad at 22 and a prodigy with the warhammer. She stands 5'5" tall with shoulder length wavy blond hair, brown eyes, and a tattoo of a wolf on her left cheek. She has an athletic body with well defined arm muscles. Lurain is quiet and calculating, preferring to take her time to deliver a single blow or find the correct solution to a problem before acting.

Hrenvar—A Starren Ranger part of the eastern border squad and rival to Lurain during training. He is slightly older than Lurain at 24 and prefers his ancestral Hooked Gauntlet (a metal gauntlet with spikes for knuckles and a sharp curved blade the length of his forearm. Hrenvar is a monster of a man at 6'5" with bushy brown hair and a thick beard. Scars cover his face and chest, and his muscled form gives him the appearance of a bear. Hrenvar is brash and competitive, preferring to rush head first into problems and strike before the enemy can act. Because of this he often butts heads with Lurain.

Balestrix—A Starren ranger part of the eastern border squad and de facto leader. A master of tracking with great knowledge of wildlife. Balestrix is 29 years old and 5'3" tall and while small in stature, makes up for it with grace and agility. Her keen eye makes her a deadly marksman with a longbow. She has short black hair and hazel eyes. Balestrix is determined and cool under pressure, and a mentoring figure for those under her charge.

Astiel—A Starren ranger part of the eastern border squad and apprentice tracker to Balestrix. Standing 5'10" he has silver hair down to his neck and blue eyes with sharp facial features. Long legs and thick leg muscles lend towards a more dynamic style of archery compared to Balestrix. Astiel at 23 years old can be overexcited and unaware at times but tries his best, and is always willing to give anything a go.

Themes of the Story

• Perseverance in the face of darkness and strife
• Resolve to live up to your ideals against doubt and uncertainty
• Value of companionship and cooperation to be stronger than being alone

Act I — The Setup

Setting the scene for the adventure and establishing the goals and stakes of the Rangers, and the role that Caledan plays in the group.

The party is beset by challenges which hint at a greater threat looming and share moments of bonding to establish camaraderie.

Act II — The Confrontation

The party tracks down their prey only to find they are dead and are attacked by dark forces.

The battle is hard fought and the party is desperate to survive only to learn of the invading army and realize they will be overwhelmed.

Act III — The Resolution

Caledan sacrifices himself by staying behind letting the surviving rangers escape and warn the armies of Starren. The battle is brutal and bloody, and Caledan fights to his last breath but ultimately sacrifices himself.

The epilogue tells of the results of his actions; the invading army was met in the field in time to prevent being overwhelmed and turned the tide of battle. Caledan was honored as a hero and a statue was built in his honor in the temple of his faith.