Karue's Collections

Original writings and artwork by Tolkien fans.
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Karue's Collections
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Since the crash I found myself moving into D&D a lot. Mostly from peer pressure of friends, however this led to me becoming a DM... which somehow led to me getting an internship for the Pittsburgh Knights esports team... where i got to write custom LOTR based D&D campaigns for their livestreams. (We recorded like 4 episodes but my boss ended up getting fired and.. well.. that whole thing got trashed.. but.. it was still awesome) From there I went on to do custom paid DM content and have been doing that for awhile now! Pretty much all spawned from my time here! So.. all that to say I have a few short stories and snips I would like to share! Sorry its going to be mostly D&D catered.. heh, but I do hope you enjoy and again, happy to be back!
Karue Sadyen - Elven Leatherwork | Marilyn Took - Hobbit Adorableness

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The Story of Marilyn Marigold
Part 1
739 B.C
Toril - The Unreachable East
After Midnight.
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Dense trees surround three men deep in the heart of Yuirwood, blocking out the night sky. Wind plays through the branches and they seem to speak to one another as overhead an owl keeps rhythm to its own beat, unphased by their whispering. One of the men is standing before a collection of woven branches as the other two watch him from behind. “You sure this is the place Niles?” One of the watchers asks the man in front. “What’ you mean, “am I sure?” Ricky, you heard the guy, same as I did.” He fumbles with the branches, seeming as if he means to re-weave them. “So dis here knot of wood is the closest thing we’ve found, alright…” The man doing the weaving, Niles, turns his scowling face away from the others and goes back to examining and working the branches. The quiet man produces a thick black book and shoves into the other watching man, Rickys, arms.
“Find the passage. Make sure you know the words.” He says quickly and with authority. Ricky swallows and nods, taking the book and flipping through it. Niles adds, “I know he was a clergy boy and all boss, but... you sure you want Ricky reading that?” The ‘Boss’ continues to watch him work the branches with a sigh, “Yes Niles. Now stop that.”Niles sets the wreath down and steps away from it. The owl goes silent.

Their boss holds his boney hand out toward the wreath whispering and from the ground sickly vines come up, causing the two henchmen to take a step back out of reflex. The vines twist and move like snakes throughout the wreath, slowly lifting it before them, creating an earthen loop. The boney man turns to face his goons. “You’ve done well getting me here Niles…” He hands the man a purse which contents clink and rattle heavily, “And Ricky, my boy, come read the passage and then you and your coin may both be on your way.” He holds his arm out beckoning the young man to come forward. Ricky wipes sweat from his brow, places a thumb on the page of the book before closing it, then walks to stand before the suspended wreath. “Go ahead…” The man beckons him. Clearing his throat, Ricky opens the book and holds it up before him, then in a tongue unknown to either of the other two, he speaks… “Ectis centri portalis…” The wind stirs…
“Ectis Centri Portalis.” He says more clearly, the branches sway and answer. The owl takes flight.
“Vi Dios Transri…” He voice fades as the wind grows louder, the branches of the portal twisting and growing into each other.
He begins to shout.
“Gorali Efriti Finale!!” Ricky yells into the portal and in that moment the sky flashes.

From within the portal energy blasts forth. Ricky, the closest… is caught directly in it, electricity rips through his body scorching him from the inside out. He falls in a pile in clumps of coal and ash. Niles, exposed on the side, meets a similar demise, flesh fried, he crumbles where he stood. Their leader, the boney man, somewhat shielded by Ricky, is launched off his feet and lands several feet back, singed, but still alive and breathing against a tree.
“Oh… Ricky my boy!!” He exclaims, pulling himself to a sitting position while laughing. Before him, the wreath flickers with multi-colored energy. It seems to be a tangible current, looking almost like water flowing between the woven branches. As the man wets his cracked lips and goes to take his feet, it sends out another crackle of energy, emitting a shock wave. Having no cover this time it slams him back against the tree forcefully. His spine shattered, life-ending, he watches as from the portal a concentrated beam blast skyward, and with his final breaths sees a small light descend and rest on the forest ground. He spits blood and manages a final laugh.., “That's not at all what I expected…” and then slumps into lifeless rest. Surrounded by wisps of green and white, the tiniest of humanoids lay curled up in a ball. Small enough to fit into a child's hand, this baby creature torn from the Feywilds has entered Toril.
Karue Sadyen - Elven Leatherwork | Marilyn Took - Hobbit Adorableness

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Mari - Pt II
It blinks. No longer in the comfort of its nest, no longer surrounded by the images of its loving parents and families faces. Too young, too fresh to understand the carnage around it. Ashes drift in the wind, blood seeps slowly into the earth. It breathes, fresh air, coppery air, deep breaths, it wants to cry. A branch snaps, loud steps follow, coming closer. It's too young.. Too fragile and green to know anything as the large creature draws upon it, a mouth full of teeth four times the baby's size sucks in the air around the feyling. The earth shakes as more come forth, a wandering pack of brown bears drawn in by the blast. They follow a large female and she stands over the baby feyling. The matron turns and huffs at her followers and they begin spreading throughout the area. Carefully she licks the creature, laying next to it, the bear draws it to its stomach, urging it to feed.

As so it went for several months. Upon outgrowing the milk, the bears introduced it to different bugs and berries, and then eventually to different meats. The feyling grew, somewhat, and became able to walk and follow the bears around, even latch on to their coats and ride them. As winter approached they hunkered into a cave near a river. After the bears feasted and tried their best to get the feyling to do the same, they fell deep into sleep. Too deep into sleep, as hunters found their tracks and the bears had been discovered.

As the feyling lay against her bear mum, her kin around them all asleep, the hunters moved in. The first arrow cut the silence. One of the feyling’s sisters let out a cry. A second arrow silenced her. The rest of the tribe began to stir, growls and roars of protest began to fill the cave, but were quickly cut short by the twang of bow strings as the sleepy bears were no match for their equipped, advantaged assailants. An arrow stuck into Mother bear before she even woke. The feyling looked up at it, sticking out of her mothers side, it looked at the feathers on the shaft still gleaming.
Within moments the pack was slaughtered and swiftly the hunters moved in to begin collecting their spoils and securing the cave for the night. As one moved to retrieve his arrow from a particularly large bear, he spotted the feyling still curled up against it. In a soft, smooth voice he spoke out in the elvish tongue… “Mother Nature… What creature is this?”
Last edited by Karue Sadyen on Thu Sep 16, 2021 4:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
Karue Sadyen - Elven Leatherwork | Marilyn Took - Hobbit Adorableness

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This is really interesting to read and honestly it is really reading as (at least what I would call) an TTRPG lead up. I'm honestly quite interested to see where this story goes simply because the feyling being found really feels like it could either be the main quest or a side quest depending on the characters and how they interact from here on out.

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o.O im not going to give anything away :P
I've been finding myself writing more with a 90s Ed Greenwood flair lately, even some taste of Stephen King with a hint of Lovecraft.
I thought I had much more of this written, as well as some other characters.. but it seems i lost those to a PC purge. I do still have the outline so I may spend some time on that soon. I also plan on merging this character with a hobbit here. So I might start branching the story to somehow cross over into this reality... maybe.. somehow.
Thank you though and hopefully, you'll enjoy what's to come!
Karue Sadyen - Elven Leatherwork | Marilyn Took - Hobbit Adorableness

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