A Druid's Journey

[DanteThanatos]

For those old enough, this is obviously inspired by Dani's Wulf's Retreat: https://www.havenandhearth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=47160.
I've always wanted to explore and expand the magical side of H&H. The fact that you can hold dreams in your bare hands and whisper flames into wood and timber fascinates me.
So I've finaly decided to try and do something about it this world. Since W16 is going to last presumably 6 months I have a chance to sticking to this plan and try to spin a bit of a story, larpy as it is.

With some help from AI, alas I'm not good at creating art, this is the story of a Volkhv, a priest or druid of the hearthlands.

Chapter One: Wind & Fire

I burned. Like many others, I burned.
Rain drops fell from the sky and hit my head cooling me down, the smell of moist dirt hits my nose.
I am here.



My mind is foggy...I can't remember how to do many things, like a newborn.
I'll need to touch, smell and taste again, to freshen up my mind.

I did not waste any time to mark my birthplace, though.
...
Yes, seems I still know how to work the stone and inlay runes.
This might last my whole life around here, even more, if no one decides to tear it down.



After long walks, to recognize each tree and bush, each mushroom and berry, each stone and clay, alas I cannot delay it any longer.
I've choosen a tree to fell, the winds tell me I need to if I am to know my old strength again.
With sadness, as even the sky continued to weep, I cut it down.



I drag log back to a cave nearby, taking shelter from the rain.
The searing burning sensation from before is completely gone and now I yearn for its heat again ironically.
On the way I've gathered supplies to last me a bit, and this body needs sustenance.

Maybe...maybe I can try and see if a spark of the old magic still imbues me, I think I can risk it.

How pleasantly surprised I was! What good omen this is! On my first try too!

I share this with the others, who are not impressed.
Yes, I'm not alone in this new world. Some would consider this an easier endeavor, and I agree somewhat,
but the challenge resides not on my survival, for I can burn again. No, the challenge is to protect not only myself
of the dangers of nature and the gods, but to protect all of them.



They talk worriedly of enemies close by.
Of much needed wood and stone and skin and bone.

The day was full, I did not stop.
As I wait for my meal to finish I ponder on what should I do tomorrow.




Maybe I'll know after a good night sleep.
They watch over me while I rest, I chase away nightmares in the dream world.

[The_Lich_King]

For those old enough, this is obviously inspired by Dani's Wulf's Retreat: https://www.havenandhearth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=47160.
I've always wanted to explore and expand the magical side of H&H. The fact that you can hold dreams in your bare hands and whisper flames into wood and timber fascinates me.
So I've finaly decided to try and do something about it this world. Since W16 is going to last presumably 6 months I have a chance to sticking to this plan and try to spin a bit of a story, larpy as it is.

With some help from AI, alas I'm not good at creating art, this is the story of a Volkhv, a priest or druid of the hearthlands.

Chapter One: Wind & Fire

I burned. Like many others, I burned.
Rain drops fell from the sky and hit my head cooling me down, the smell of moist dirt hits my nose.
I am here.



My mind is foggy...I can't remember how to do many things, like a newborn.
I'll need to touch, smell and taste again, to freshen up my mind.

I did not waste any time to mark my birthplace, though.
...
Yes, seems I still know how to work the stone and inlay runes.
This might last my whole life around here, even more, if no one decides to tear it down.



After long walks, to recognize each tree and bush, each mushroom and berry, each stone and clay, alas I cannot delay it any longer.
I've choosen a tree to fell, the winds tell me I need to if I am to know my old strength again.
With sadness, as even the sky continued to weep, I cut it down.



I drag log back to a cave nearby, taking shelter from the rain.
The searing burning sensation from before is completely gone and now I yearn for its heat again ironically.
On the way I've gathered supplies to last me a bit, and this body needs sustenance.

Maybe...maybe I can try and see if a spark of the old magic still imbues me, I think I can risk it.

How pleasantly surprised I was! What good omen this is! On my first try too!

I share this with the others, who are not impressed.
Yes, I'm not alone in this new world. Some would consider this an easier endeavor, and I agree somewhat,
but the challenge resides not on my survival, for I can burn again. No, the challenge is to protect not only myself
of the dangers of nature and the gods, but to protect all of them.



They talk worriedly of enemies close by.
Of much needed wood and stone and skin and bone.

The day was full, I did not stop.
As I wait for my meal to finish I ponder on what should I do tomorrow.




Maybe I'll know after a good night sleep.
They watch over me while I rest, I chase away nightmares in the dream world.

Looking forward to your Journey, i loved Wulf's Retreat.

[DanteThanatos]

Chapter 2: Sowing Time

If we are to survive long enough in this cave we will need food to eat.
The rangers,fishermen and foragers are hard at work.
Their effort show and we thrive.




I also do my part.
Me and another druid scour the grasslands nearby in search of wild plants we can hope to tame.
And we too, find success.



The firber is rough, but with a bit of crosspolination, carefull sowing and care, we can make it work.
After persuading a few dreams I went outside and imbued the ground with them.( I dropped a bunch of dreams on the ground)



Days go by, and with the moon waning, the world grows darker.



Bandits, in search of easy prey.

The men gather and train.
Wounds are an inevitability and as one of the few Learned, I work.
Making healing salves and counseling on how to bandage their wounds.



The next few days might spell our doom.
I know the bandits will return, the others talk about them and know who they are.
We might need to move.

End of Chapter

For those who are reading, sorry I can't provide with more wide screenshots.
I fear I will tell a bit too much of where we are located and I dont want to put the others in danger because of my little diary here.
Once I know it's safe enough I'll start zooming out. Posting this journey like this and looking at Haven in another angle to fill in these posts made the game more enjoyable to me.
I hope these are enjoyable for you too. Cya next chapter.

[DanteThanatos]

Chapter 3
New Horizons

News of the bandits spread around.
We could stay put and try to defend ourselves or we could move to a safer place.

Since they knew where we were and could come get us with larger numbers at any moment, we decided to move.

One by one we packed our stuff and went on our way to a previously agreed-on place.

I went alone.

At my own pace, across country.
I said alone. I lied. A tiny dream followed me. And I was thankfull for the company.
It seemed to vibrate when a breeze would hit us...I took that for giggles.

When we arrived I began the rites. The entrace should be safe:

So I put a spell on it. To ward off invaders.

Little did I know: It would be put to the test soon after.
The memories of the invasion are all a blur.
They wanted to come inside our piece of land but didn't want to risk the gates.
And after a while, they were gone.

---

It has been a few weeks since then.
We grew. Domesticated most of the wild crops, with a few possibilities still on the horizon.

--

At least for now, we are safe.

End of Chapter

Hello again. I will begin to hide the larger images or series of images. Cleaner post and all that.
Sorry I don't have any screenshots of when we got attacked, I completely forgot to take screenshots. I'm sure you understand.
No one died. So no screenshot of any graves.

Props to whoever translates the spells.
Untill next time! =D

[Maksas]

Hey this is great stuff! Can't wait for the next chapter. Hope the wards will help your village against all harm.

[The_Lich_King]

Love to read these when I am at work, keep em up.

[Vassteel]

i really like the art style you are using i kinda wish it was the type of art being used for the ingame art items.

[DanteThanatos]

Chapter 4
Blessed be.

Finaly we have settled!

The place is safe...if you don't leave the walls.
*chuckle to himself* But leave them I must.

Bandits, thieves and troublemakers abound outside.
In the rivers, behind the trees, beneath the earth.
Because of them...people die:



This isn't one of my friends. But a victim, nonetheless.
Every time each one leaves to bring us food, ore or materials I mutter under my breath:
Almië nai.

Little incantation, means good luck, be safe, blessed be.
It's my own way of calming myself too, for I began to care for these people.
So much so that in my nightmares I am surrounded by their graves, and I'm the one that interred them.

What a silly old fool I am. My people aren't frail or inocent.
Half of them are a half more capable than more than half our enemies combined.
The reason I don't speak of them much is for their safety, someone could find my journal and use it agaisnt them.

We are past mid summer, the midges come to suck us dry and I work:

And work:

And work some more:

These old bones, as my own, needs rest after so much toil.

Just for a spell.

I feel it's going to be while before the world is rent asunder again.
For now, we all work.


End of Chapter.

[Redlaw]

This reminds me of when I was doing the tales of the hearth or something like that many many worlds ago.

A lovely read, keep it up.

[DanteThanatos]

Chapter 5
Ruin


Subtle foreshadow.

The harvest has been good enough and I'm glad the flax seeds we domesticated are stronger than usual.
I look over the fence of our neighboors and our flax shines brighter and doesn't bend too much agaisnt the wind.
The Old Gods willing we-

"WE ARE UNDER ATTACK! WE NEED HELP IN THE MINES!"

Fuck the flax.

I drop everything, stumble into the house and grab my bow and arrows.
I can hear screaming from deep into the mine hole. It echoes outward, cries of war and pain.
We rush in.

The mines are too dark if you don't have a miner helmet or candle.
Luckily I don't have that problem.


I sadly can't run like the younger ones.
The wail of metal on metal reverberates along the mine walls and into my ears.
There are rushed footsteps behind me deeper the other way and I thank the gods more reinforcements are coming.
The fight is right ahead.

It is chaos. The stench of gore and viscera hits my nostrils and forces its way in. To the side I see someone dead, their guts painting the wall.
There must be twelve of them versus eight or nine of us.
We are holding for now.

Those reinforcements. They would come in handy now.
I loose arrows one after the other. Most misses cause I don't want to hit my friends at all.
In this close quarter combat I feel so...powerless.

I'm no fighter, just good with a bow. I'm also too old and more likely than not will only be a burden if I engage directly.
The two pair of footsteps behind me finaly arrive and I turn to warn them of the combat ahead.

Those were unfamiliar eyes. Full of thirst they were.
This is an ambush.

I drew my long knife to try and defend myself and I could barely manage to avoid lethal blows from the both of them while I ran.
My screams for help intermingled with the others.
Desperate parries made sparks flew from my knife, bouncing on the ceiling and walls of the caves while they attacked. Blood drummed violently in my ears.


Things went from bad to worse from there and we got routed. Someone peeled off one of the bandits down a long tunnel and I was left alone with the other.
He just grinned under the red cloth and continued the offensive, my back hits the wall trying to retreat and he kicks my head into the rock behind.

I'm no fighter...I'm too old.

I fall.

I can feel his hands in my pockets and my bag is ripped from my grasp. Everything is strewn about while he looked for any valuables...heh, I still had flax seeds inside my bag.
He had no interest in them.
Darkness took me, and I strayed out of thought and time.

When I came to myself I was alone, alive, in the mine.
My bag laid empty beside me and my bow was gone.

A day had passed and, beside the miner who got attacked first, we all survived.


Droplets of blood are sewn around along with the flax this time.
The Old Gods willing the harvest will be plentifull.
Resentment grows in the hearts of the people here...

End of Chapter 5

Took a bit for me to write this one down. The AI helps making images but sometimes I can't get it to look like I want to.
And so days go by while I try for better images.
Luckily I got off easy: