Farian

Farian is a male human druid and an NPC in the Emeron Campaign and the father of Zenga and Janis.

## Biographical Information

### Place of Death

Brokenback Swamps

Farian was a druid from the Southern Rupmon region of the Kingdom of Emeron. He grew up in the woods learning the ways of nature. One day as a young man he came upon an beautiful maiden named Treana. The two discussed magical theory were instantly attracted to one another, quickly falling in love.

It was not very long before she became pregnant. Once she had she explained that she had a secret, that she was a member of a witches coven called the Wives of Death from the Brokenback Swamps. She said that they procreated by sending out a which when she was of child bearing age to find a male human capable of performing magic and getting impregnated before stealing away in the night and returning home to give birth.

Treana told Farian that she had not been faking her love for him though, and that she did not want to return, but to spend the rest of their lives together and raise their child. However, she worried the Wives would come for her and, if they had a girl, their daughter.

The two fled north, into the Barony of Reikland, feeling that it was far enough away from the swamps that they would not be found. They had a boy, Janis, and a couple years later a girl named Zenga.

## Disaster

Farian and his family settled in the town of Yevud were happy together until 1141, when the Wives of Death finally found them. They accosted the family at home, at night. Seeing the family together the Wives insisted that Treana and Zenga come with them, stating they did not care what became of Farian and Janis as long as the females came quietly.

The family refused, however, fighting back. Unfortunately the fight went poorly. Janis was killed in the crossfire, and both Farian and Treana were mortally wounded. The Wives abducted Zenga and left, taking her back to Nāves Ciems.

As they lay dying, Farian and Treana cast a final, desperate spell to try to save their son. Combining his druidic magic with her witch magic they were able to reincarnate Janis, though as a scorpion. With their dying breaths they urged him to find and protect Zenga.

The fight had attracted the attention of the other people in the town and clerical aid was sent for. Although it was too late for Treana they were able to barely safe Farian, though he was left crippled and in pain.

## The Path to Vengeance

Eventually Farian recovered, though never completely. He was in pain regularly and needed a cane or staff to walk properly. Having lost all he knew, he became obsessed with finding the Wives of Death and amassing enough power to defeat them, to make them pay for taking his daughter and indoctrinating them into their horrible death cult.

He spent much of the following 18 years searching for a source of power to allow him to defeat the Wives of Death. Finally in 1159 he found it, an ancient and long forgotten ritual that would allow him to take root to an area and control all animal and insect live in the region and even limited control of the earth itself. Traveling into the Brokenback Swamps he came as close as he dared to Nāves Ciems, using the power to begin attacking the Wives of Death.

Because of the power of the *Heart of the Swamp*, however, he could not control the wildlife directly once they got within a few miles of the village. Still he was able to set them in motion and direction attacks and ills upon the village.

A Browncloak Druid named Audura came to him, claiming that she'd been sent by her superiors because they could sense that he claimed the power and that it was creating an imbalance and he should not have it. He refused to give it up, and she could not defeat him so she departed, but he knew she did not go very far.

Finally, on the 19th of Griffon his means to resolve the stalemate came in the way he least expected. Through the eyes of the creatures of the swamp he saw the Joined of Vesper on their way to the grove he'd rooted to and among them was a woman who looked remarkably like a grown Zenga. Controlling the animals he lead them to his grove and tearfully greeted his daughter.

He explained what had happened, stating that he'd never give up finding her or enacting vengeance on the Wives of Death. He'd hoped she would not be twisted and corrupted by their evil and was pleased to see she was not among them. He explained that he just needed them to destroy the *Heart of the Swamp* to allow him to wipe the Wives of Death out.

Upon learning that Farian intended to kill everyone in the village, including the children, Edella Montfort, Beybulat Tasho and Briac Youngblood objected, explaining that the children were innocent. Farian explained that the girls were indoctrinated by the dark spirit that powered the witches from a young age and that there was no hope that they'd grow up into anything but monsters. Eventually, however, he relented stating that he'd spare any girl under 12.

Reluctantly, the Joined of Vesper agreed to his plan to destroy the *Heart of the Swamp*, guarded by the Purvs Māte two hours east of the village, while he directed his animals and insects there. Once the *Heart of the Swamp* was destroyed, he could control them directly and kill the Wives of Death.

## The Destruction of Nāves Ciems

As agreed, Farian poised his wildlife outside of the village and as soon as the Joined of Vesper destroyed the *Heart of the Swamp* he was able to see through the animals and wildlife in the village and control them directly. He led the beasts in a furious battle, killing everyone in Nāves Ciems, even the children, in spite of his promise to the Joined.

Enraged, the Joined of Vesper traveled back to Farian and accused him of murder and genocide. He swore it was the only way to purge the evil of the Wives of Death, and did not apologize for killing the children, reiterating his belief that it was too late for them. He told Zenga that with the power he had over nature and with the Wives dead he could reshape his area of the swamps into a paradise and the two could live together as father and daughter and catch up on lost time.

Zenga, however, merely berated him for caring more for his vengeance than her and not coming to save her. Heartbroken, Farian declared that the Wives of Death had obviously corrupted his daughter after all and summoned a number of swamp creature and animals to defend him.

The battle was fierce, and in spite of his power the Joined of Vesper proved too much for him and he was slain.