The Verdant Valley

“There weren't always dragons in the Valley. That was the story we grew up hearing all the time from our parents in Tembescus. It’s a small town hidden deep in the Verdant Valley that resides inside of the Valdis Kingdom's outer reaches. It isn’t an unremarkable place as most stories would suggest when starting off so far removed from areas full of people, instead it is actually quite remarkable! The lush plant life and wonderful waterfalls that cascade throughout the valley always bring a euphoric blissful feeling to everyone who visits! At least I like to think so…. Oh! I haven’t introduced myself have I? My name is Annabelle, a herbalist’s apprentice in Tembescus. My parents are Vane and Treana, a hunter and a seamstress. They are far more than their jobs would have you think however, yes yes, my mother and father have these wonderful hobbies that boggle everyone who hears, or sees, them. My mother LOVES to participate in the quarterstaff contest every year for one, I practice with her regularly, and my father makes these miniature figures. They are kinda adorable to be honest. He even made this massive replica of our valley that he keeps in our shed, it barely fits. How I do love them both, but I do love plants just a wee bit more.

Onto more about myself. I work for Lady Zevaine, an older herbalist in our town. She is one of only three in the whole county! Can you believe that? Bet you can’t being as young as you are.” Annabelle continued to describe her daily life and history to an egg-shaped object resting behind a waterfall, in a cave, in the Verdant Valley of Tuppburrow County. Annabelle is a sweet and ordinarily shy young woman just reaching her adult years, soon to be ready for marriage and to graduate from her apprenticeship. She is also one of three heroes in our tale. The other, an egg, sitting next to her in a cave, full of rare herbs and fungi. The last one was currently out hunting alone near the edge of Tembescus’s safe ranging areas. He was not as shy as Annabelle, but had trouble speaking with others since he never really came into town. He was two winters older than Annabelle, but no one in town really knew that as he rarely if ever came into town except to buy things of need that he couldn’t make on his own. He was a remarkable hunter, a great cook by his own account, and a fantastic artist. His house, built in a tall eldarbark tree, was filled with carvings of beautiful creatures and other oddities. Though currently he wasn’t thinking of home as he chased after a rather dangerous piece of game this day.

His footsteps were light and swift through the underbrush as he pursued his wounded quarry, a rare beast called a Saberclaw Raptor, a dangerous animal when in a pack for any hunter, but still a challenge even when caught out alone. This hunters name of Jarron, an unremarkable individual when noticed at first glance, but his appearance was tailored to do just that. He didn’t like drawing attention. It was his saving grace in this hunt as he caught up to the creature, but hadn’t yet been noticed. It was attempting to bite out the arrows stuck in its flank as it limped around fruitlessly. Flailing its head in vain as he knocked another arrow slowly. Aiming for the arteries in its neck. He let his arrow fly, and this time he nailed his target with ease. The creature thrashed about in rage and pain as the arrow struck it. Jarron wasn’t initially worried about it, until the creature barreled at him full tilt, its blood spurting out in streams as it launched itself at him. He managed to dodge out of the way, but underestimated the terrain, its dangers, and where exactly he was.

He came to the conclusion that he may have gotten too engrossed in the hunt as he fell off the edge of a waterfall, flying out from next to it, to over the waters as he fell. He didn’t scream, or flail about in panic. He just fell while wondering why he’d made such a simple mistake as to forget where he was in the valley. Then he realized with surprise, “I’ve never been to this side of the Valley.” a bit of shock in his voice as he hit the water of the pond at the base of the waterfall. The cold water kept him awake, if only for a few fleeting moments, as he scrambled out of the water and onto shore before the current of the connected thick river could carry him off. He then collapsed into the ground and decided that the muddy grass he was on made a great bed, before falling into unconsciousness.

Annabelle stopped her excited storytelling to the small egg as she heard a voice, a splash, and thrashing in the water outside the waterfall. It was surprisingly loud considering that the cave made the waterfall seem almost deafening. Yet she definitely heard it. If the Gamcho brothers have come to ruin another one of my spots I will be beside myself! She thought with anger as she made her way outside, stopping only to turn around and say to the egg, “Don’t worry, I’ll be back!” she said with a beaming smile before continuing up to the cave entrance and out onto the small hidden path behind the waterfall that led out and into the open. As soon as she stepped outside she noticed two things, the Gamcho brothers were not there, and that she did not recognize the soaking wet, muddy man in hunter's garb passed out half in and half out of the pond at the base of the waterfall. “Oh!” She exclaimed as she reached into her herbalist satchel at her side while running forward to him. She put several items on the dry ground further from the water before turning him over onto his back and dragging him out of the water fully. He was very heavy and cold, his clothes were soaked through. This worried Annabelle as she only had enough wyrmroot to keep him from getting hypothermia, not enough to keep him from catching a cold. She began mixing herbs in a pestle, grinding them up into a paste before adding water and continuing the process. She did this for roughly four straight minutes before opening the boy's mouth, or trying to before realizing his muscles were stiff with cold. She couldn’t open his mouth enough to pour it in without spilling too much of the tincture she had managed to make. She poured it into her mouth before squeezing his cheeks enough to get his mouth open to where she could put the liquid safely into his mouth. She pressed her lips to his and let the liquid fall into his mouth before rubbing his throat thoroughly so as to stimulate it into swallowing the tincture. The boy immediately began sputtering as he sat up, she sat up quickly so as not to get hit by him.

Jarron sat up with a burning sensation filling his whole body, he gasped before pausing to swallow roughly before inhaling a deep breath of fresh air. He looked around to get an idea of where he was, his a tad bleary as he looked around. Nothing was out of the ordinary until he looked to his left and saw a young woman sitting next to him. Mud covered her forearms and most over the bottom of her dress as he stared at her. “Who’re you?” he asked in a raspy and confused voice. Her eyes were on him, as if she were assessing him, gauging him? He couldn’t tell as he barely spoke to anyone and found himself feeling awkward under her gaze. “Are you feeling warmer? Any headache? Nausea?” she suddenly asked him, her voice sounded beautiful to him. It reminded him of the crystal leaf chimes he’d made at his home. “No.. I’m fine, not as cold as I’d expect to be sopping wet as I am.” he finished looking over his muddy form, then back at her hands. “Did you drag me up out of the water?” he asked curiously. “Yes, and no… you were half in and half out of the water when I came over.” she said, clearly losing whatever vestiges of professionalism he’d witnessed moments before. She now looked as awkward as he felt. “Well I’d better get going.” he said as he tried to get up, but finding he could not. “Oh, no, sorry!” She exclaimed with worry. “The tincture will leave you a bit weak, and you were in there for a little longer than you probably should’ve been. You seem stiff, and i-if it’s alright with you, I’d like to bring you back to the herbalist shack until you feel better.” she finished sweetly but nervously. He stared at her, thinking it over as he listened to his body. He was sore all over, looking up at the edge of the cliff he’d fallen from, he realized how lucky he was to be alive. “Sure, help me up if you wouldn’t mind.” he said, shaken as he was by his injuries. She helped him up, once on his feet they began making their way to town. The first steps on a long road that would be their long, but Humble Beginnings.