Chapter Four: The Call of the Wild

The journey to Qeynos and the completion of his initiation had changed Caradawc in ways he was only beginning to understand.

The Symbol of the Tribunal hung proudly around his neck, and the magical hammer it could summon had become a trusted companion. Yet despite his growing confidence, he could not shake the feeling that his education was incomplete.

The spirits seemed restless.

In dreams he saw wolves standing silently among ancient trees. Hawks circled above distant forests. Great bears watched him from the edge of moonlit clearings. Again and again the same images returned.

Eventually the signs became impossible to ignore.

The spirits were calling him south.

The road led him to Surefall Glade.

Hidden deep within the forests of Antonica, the glade felt different from the cities and settlements Caradawc had visited. Here there were no merchants shouting their wares, no guards patrolling walls, and no adventurers boasting of their latest victories. The trees themselves seemed ancient, and every stream and meadow carried an air of quiet wisdom.

It was there that Caradawc sought out Arrivae Valleren.

Arrivae was renowned among those who followed the old paths of nature. Under his guidance, Caradawc's understanding of shamanism deepened considerably.

Until now he had learned primarily to commune with spirits and ancestors. In Surefall Glade he discovered that the living world possessed its own language. Animals could be calmed. Their instincts could be understood. Their fears could be soothed. Through patience and respect, a shaman could build bonds with creatures that many considered untameable.

The lessons were difficult but rewarding.

It was during this period that he first met Sunflower.

At first she remained at a distance, watching him from the edges of the glade while he practised his new skills. Unlike many creatures, she showed no fear of him. Day after day she appeared, drawing gradually closer until eventually she approached him directly.

What began as curiosity slowly became companionship.

The druids of Surefall Glade smiled knowingly whenever the pair were seen together. Sunflower accompanied him on walks through the forest. She sat nearby while he meditated. When he left for training she often seemed to be waiting for his return.

Before long it became obvious that she had grown attached to him.

The feeling, Caradawc realised, was mutual.

When the day came to leave Surefall Glade, Sunflower followed.

No amount of persuasion convinced her otherwise.

In the end, Caradawc simply laughed and accepted the inevitable.

Together they travelled north toward Halas.

The familiar snowfields of his homeland welcomed him home, but Halas no longer felt quite as large as it once had. The world beyond the city had expanded his horizons. Stories of distant lands and new discoveries filled every tavern and meeting hall.

Waiting among those eager for adventure was Skittlesz.

Like Caradawc, the barbarian possessed a restless spirit and little desire to remain at home while the wider world called.

Before long the three companions had made their decision.

They would travel east.

Their route carried them across the vast plains of the Karanas.

For many days the journey was peaceful. Endless grasslands stretched beneath great open skies. Travellers passed along the roads and exchanged stories around evening campfires. Caradawc found himself increasingly convinced that walking remained the best way to experience the world.

Whenever someone suggested using druid rings to shorten the journey, he dismissed the idea.

"A road skipped is a road not learned," he declared.

Skittlesz rolled his eyes.

"One day that attitude is going to get us eaten."

Caradawc merely laughed.

The journey continued eastward until the great walls of Highpass Hold finally appeared among the mountains.

The fortress stood as a crossroads between distant regions of Norrath. Merchants, adventurers, guards, travellers, and fortune seekers crowded its halls and roads. Caradawc had never seen so many different races gathered in one place.

Dwarves from Kaladim traded stories with warriors from Freeport. Rangers spoke of distant forests while clerics discussed matters of faith. Everywhere he turned there were rumours of new lands waiting to be explored.

Many spoke of Velious.

Others spoke of Kunark.

Both names seemed to appear with increasing frequency.

For several days the companions rested within the safety of the hold, listening to tales brought by travellers moving between east and west. The more stories Caradawc heard, the stronger his desire became to see these distant lands for himself.

Eventually they continued onward.

Beyond Highpass Hold lay Kithicor.

The atmosphere changed almost immediately.

The forest felt wrong.

The trees seemed darker. The shadows lingered longer than they should. Strange sounds echoed among the undergrowth. Even during daylight the woods carried an oppressive feeling that unsettled both Sunflower and Skittlesz.

As evening approached, Caradawc found himself gripping his hammer more tightly.

Every rustling branch drew his attention.

Every distant movement suggested danger.

The stories told by travellers suddenly seemed far less exaggerated than he had once believed.

By the time they finally emerged from Kithicor Forest, Caradawc's views regarding travel had changed considerably.

The world was larger and more dangerous than he had imagined.

Wisdom, he realised, was not weakness.

Not long afterwards, when the opportunity arose to use magical transportation, he accepted without hesitation.

Skittlesz did not let him forget it.

"I seem to remember someone saying a road skipped is a road not learned."

Caradawc muttered something about exceptional circumstances.

The druid only laughed.

Moments later the world dissolved into swirling magic.

When it returned, they stood upon the frozen continent of Velious.

The Eastern Wastes stretched endlessly before them.

Snow and ice covered the landscape as far as the eye could see. Bitter winds swept across vast frozen plains. For a son of Halas there was something strangely comforting about the sight, despite the continent's immense scale.

Yet what surprised Caradawc most was not the landscape.

It was the people.

Adventurers from every corner of Norrath had gathered there.

Warriors from Freeport.

Druids from Kelethin.

Clerics from Qeynos.

Wizards from Erudin.

Entire expeditions were forming to explore the new frontiers beyond the known world.

Caradawc had scarcely begun unpacking his supplies when he heard a familiar voice call his name.

He turned.

For a moment he simply stared.

Then recognition struck.

"Izzy?"

The cleric's face lit up instantly.

Without hesitation she hurried across the snow and threw her arms around him in a fierce embrace.

Caradawc froze in surprise.

The last time they had seen one another had been deep within Blackburrow. Back then they had been little more than inexperienced adventurers struggling against gnolls beneath the hills of Qeynos.

Now they stood together at the edge of a frozen continent.

"I thought you'd frozen to death somewhere," Izzy said as she stepped back.

"And I thought you'd become High Priestess of Qeynos by now," Caradawc replied.

She laughed.

The sound carried easily across the frozen air.

For the first time since leaving Halas, the Eastern Wastes felt a little less lonely.

As the evening wore on, introductions were made and stories exchanged. Old adventures were remembered and new plans discussed.

Around them, preparations for greater expeditions continued.

Far beyond Velious lay Kunark.

Far beyond Kunark lay ancient ruins, forgotten cities, and mysteries older than memory.

Neither Caradawc nor Izzy could know exactly where those roads would lead.

But together with Sunflower, Skittlesz, and a growing fellowship of adventurers, they intended to find out.