Then And Now
By: Arty
As Arty approached the entrance of the Chancel of Labors she glanced over her shoulder to the frozen lake behind her. Its jagged formations, resembling monstrous claws, were a painful reminder of her previous life – a life of enslavement and death under the dragon Crucia.
Before the Age of Dragons, Arty was a skilled metal smith who specialized in armor. Like many other dwarves she was infused with the spirit of creation. She loved climbing the mountains of Iron Pine Peak to mine the various types of ore and brought her treasure back to her families forge to create armor that would protect the ones she loved. To her, nothing was more exhilarating then the leaping flames of the forge and clang of metal against metal. Her craft earned her honor amongst the dwarves.
Her nature was not one of a warrior on the front lines of battle. Arty preferred to be behind the scenes making armor and supporting her allies with her cleric heals. From an early age, her parents quickly learned that Arty was unlike her bold brother. She wasn’t one to pick fights or cause harm to others. Even simple tasks such as hunting game for meals proved difficult. Instead of bringing home fresh kill she would find wounded animals in the wilds and bring them home to be nurtured and taken care of. Her natural tendency to care for others earned her training in the art of healing.
Looking back, she can’t remember much of her previous life. The little that she does recall comes back to her in her sleep, often nightmares. The single memory that haunts her to this day is the one of Crucia’s shadow hovering over her homeland. Five dragons descended upon Telara and Crucia chose Iron Pine Peak to invade. Arty, her family, and the other residents of Iron Pine Peak were enslaved both mentally and physically by the dragon. To this day, Arty shudders at the thought of her skills contributing unwillingly to Crucia’s reign. She does her best to block out many of the painful memories and is eternally grateful for the Vigil choosing to resurrect her and bring her back to Telara once more.
Times have changed since the Age of Dragons. To Arty’s delight, Crucia was defeated and imprisoned. Sorcery holds the dragon beneath Iron Pine Peak. Since her resurrection, Arty returned to her homeland and has worked steadfastly with the Icewatch. The Chancel of Labors has given her the opportunity to hone her metal smithi skills once again and to have an entire library of knowledge at her fingertips. As much as she loves the magnificent mountains of Iron Pine she finds herself traveling across Telara searching for those she once called family. Thus far on her travels she has not rediscovered anyone from her village. However, she has happily found a motley crew who she cares for and considers brothers and sisters.
She is still unsure as to why she was chosen to return. “Only time will tell…†she whispers to herself.