Corey Crung

## Origins

Corey was born in the **Enora Mountains** to a sick mother, and intelligent father. His family was part of a typical Goliath Tribe, but were seen as outcasts. This was due to his father's insistence on expanding their knowledge and intelligence, and abandoning their tribal ideals. The biggest offense was Corey's father treating his mothers sickness against the tribes will. And once he was found out, he was excommunicated, and shunned leaving his wife and son behind. Before Corey's father left, he would urge his son to find his own way and to not abide by their backwards tribe. Shortly after his father's departure his mother would die, and Corey would be alone.

Eventually he ventured far from the tribe the vast plains under the mountains, building a humble cottage. Corey would adopt an anti-social life, opting to merely observe everything keeping countless journals of his findings, and befriending wildlife. Over the years he would grow to love his life, and would live rather peacefully. But one day a gecko would arrive, paying it no mind Corey sketched it and observed it. But it quickly would draw others of it's kind into Corey's land. Rapidly breeding and spreading everywhere.

At first Corey would live with them but would begin to develop a hatred and fear for the creatures eventually fleeing his home after finding a place far, far, far, far away from his home. This would lead him to having a fear of all lizard creatures, and would lead him to fleeing **Enora** via passenger vessel...

## Notable Events

### **Meeting Guy & T**

While waiting to board the ship to **Neverwinter**, Corey would meet a friendly bard calling himself **"The Guy"**. The two would spark up conversation, and would quickly become friends. Their time on the boat allowed them to get to know each other and even prompted Guy to invite Corey to work with him and **Gruden Rockseeker** on this big job. Not having any other goals, and seeing it as an opportunity to study and learn many things in this new land, led Corey to agreeing to the proposition.

Shortly after arriving in Neverwinter it didn't take long for them to encounter a criminal. A rather poor thief attempted to pickpocket them, and when he was caught prompted a chase. Corey and Guy would chase this thief to an alley where they temporarily lost him. But after the overconfident thief attempted to pickpocket Corey and failed, the 3 began to speak. This would lead to **T**, the teifling thief to buy the two drinks as an apology...

### **Sister Garacle**

Shortly after arriving in **Phandalin** ***The Drifters*** would meet **Sister Elizabeth Garacle** of ***The Harpers***. Corey would be immediately infatuated with the young lady, and would offer the services of himself and his comrades. This would result in the Drifters agreeing to venture into **Conyberry** and interrogate a banshee on the location of a legendary mage's spell book.

Corey would meet with Sister Garacle again prior to attacking the Redbrand Ruffians, where he would find out that she was actually an elven woman and not human like he expected. This would be a short interaction and not much would come from it.

While Waiting to siege the **Zhentarim**, Corey like the other drifters would take a day of rest. During this time he and Sister Garacle would go on a romantic hunting trip in the **Kryptgarden Woods**. During this time they would learn much about each other, and unofficially begin dating. However their trip would end abruptly after Corey experienced a strange occurrence and needed time to study his new ailment.

The last time the two spoke would be after finally retrieving the information on the mages book. Sister Garacle would thank the drifters, and would leave Phandalin for some time. This would be the last time Corey would see Sister Garacle, it is unclear where she is currently.

### **Corey gets cursed**

While on a hunting trip with Sister Garacle, Corey would stumble upon ancient ruins resonating a strange energy. Inside the ruins Corey would find a strange obsidian colored tear-drop crystal. He would pick it up and hold it in his hand, but in an instant he would see it dissolve in his palm and be absorbed within his skin. It wasn't until Sister Garacle screamed in fear calling out for Corey, that he sensed something was wrong. From what he could tell she was unable to see him, and to make things stranger the ruins he were once in hosted ethereal figures, and seemed to have rebuilt itself. He attempted to interact with them, but he was met with no response.

Shortly after this Corey would reappear within the mortal plane, with more questions than answers. He and Sister Garacle would agree to end the hunting trip early so that he could study his new ailment at the local library. Upon returning to Phandalin he would go inside the empty library for some time, and found a book that began to connect the dots. It was a book of curses and dark magic, and on the pages that were readable, Corey learned he had accidentally completed a ritual.

Two days prior Corey temporarily had a reanimated skull, he affectionately named Dory. During this time the skull bit Corey, which unknowingly was one half of an ancient ritual to master the ethereal curse. That combined with the teardrop crystal completed the ritual, and allowed Corey to accidentally break the laws of magic. Before he could read further into the book, the librarian returned prompting Corey to pocket the book and leave..

### **Corey becomes God**

While investigating reports of necromancy at **Old Owl Well**, T and Guy would push Droop off an extremely high ledge wounding him greatly. Without proper medical care **Droop** would die. So in a panic they asked the necromancer to help, and in return he requested the drifters take care of some orcs in a ravine that had been causing him trouble. To sweeten the deal **Hamon Kost** would agree to cease his necromancy at Old Owl Well. Having no other options, the drifters set off towards the nearby crags to search.

After some time searching various caves, and ravines, they would spot the encampment from above. While sneaking into the camp Guy would pass out leaving T to watch over his body, while Corey went further in. It wasn't long before he was greeted by a fellow Goliath, that he knew from an Enora. This old friend was unique like Corey opting to venture into the world and disregard his tribe. However he had been stuck in this camp for some time assisting the Orcs with their terrible leader. The leader was a gluttonous, idiotic ogre stalling progress within the tribe.

The leader was against furthering relations, and progress and forced the tribe to go against their personal desires and wills. It wasn't long before Corey would accidentally finding himself challenging the leader and only having a mere few hours to prepare. The winner would take ownership of the tribe, and decide how they would progress. T and Corey would spar with Corey's friend helping where needed. But the time flew by and the battle was underway.

The battle would strongly go in Corey's favor, as he had more tactical and agile prowess. But the ogre was strong and tough taking some time to defeat. However after a few decisive blows, Corey decided to end the battle using a show of immense power. He would go into his ethereal form and would go unseen by the crowd and ogre. This would be his first public reveal of this power, and would force his javelin through the ogres head revealing himself as the gruesome sight finished.

The crowd cheered, and viewed Corey as their God come to save them, announcing him as their God King. Corey uncomfortable with this title but understanding these Orcs needed direction, he spent some time teaching them his philosophy and way of life, and helping them live a more peaceful fulfilled life. Corey would take his leave shortly after, leaving his friend in charge. However Corey is still heralded as the God King to this specific tribe, as they eagerly await his return...

### **The Astral Sea**

Like the other Drifters, Corey was present in the pursuit of Kost, and was face to face with his ashen abominations. From Corey's observations of Kost's lifeless body, and it's strange decaying state, it would seem that the creatures processed some sort of necrotic disease. After further observation he determined that if you are touched on the bare skin the disease will take hold on the person. However no matter how careful the drifters were, all 3 members were attacked by the creatures on their bare skin resulting in an immediate retreat to Phandalin.

Before Corey could make it to the cleric like his friends, he would feel his grasp on the world loosening before blacking out. Overwhelmed with a cold sensation, and a sleep taking over he would black out for an unknown amount of time. After this time passed, Corey would feel a sharp ringing shake him awake, and what he saw blew him away. An infinite landscape with a sea and landscape stretching into the great unknown greeted him. A world of cosmos with a pink and purple tint. Full of abnormalities like architecture unknown, and creatures unseen.

Corey would begin to study the world around him, but his moment of brief peace would be interrupted by giant monsters fighting one another. And to make things worse the creatures seemed to be dragons, freezing Corey in fear... And as he stood frozen in place, a dragon took notice of him and began to attack, Corey knew he was done for so he braced for death. But seconds passed and he was still standing, and as he opened his eyes a shadowy centaur like creature stood in front of him, while the dragon looped in place, unable to pounce.

The creature would gesture for Corey to follow, leading him in an unknown location. After some time they would reach a hut on a coastline, with a small light illuminating the inside. The creature signaled for Corey to go in, to which he obliged. Stepping inside, Corey was face to face with the mysterious **Githzerai** race. A race Corey never thought he would meet. The man was wise, and helped Corey understand his predicament, while not giving away too much information. For the most part he was friendly, yet restrained. And as they would finish up their conversation, the Gith would tell Corey that he would need to find a shadow of Phandalin to return home. A reflection of the mortal plane within the **Astral Sea**, and to find it Corey would need **Phineas**, the **Phane** that lead him here.

After that Corey would part ways with the Gith having more questions, but knowing he could not have them answered. He would travel with Phineas for an unknown time before reaching Phandlin's shifting shadow. He would say his goodbyes to Phineas and the strange world he was in, and was embraced by Phane. However as the embraced ended, Corey would find himself falling from the sky towards an active hunt, on top of a wild owl bear. And just as luck would have, Corey would find himself with Droop and T. Shortly afterwards he and the others would reunite with Guy continuing the adventure...

## The Black Spider Returns (Developing Storyline)

While crossdressing as a woman, and acting as the date of an inbred prince in **"Friends in Low Places"** he would be exhausted, and minorly wounded. In this sleep deprived state, Corey would reach into his satchel pulling out the **Necklace of Immortality** as he and the **Black Spider** called it, and put it on. He would be immediately rejuvinated, and felt better than ever before, but unfortunately for Corey he felt the scratching of something in his head and a familiar voice ring out ***"I warned you...".*** This voice would belong to the Black Spider, now somehow present in the mind of Corey. And what he meant in saying "I warned you" was in reference to a conversation the two had in **"Confronting the Black Spider"** where Nezznar told Corey that by putting on the necklace (shortly after taking it from Nezznar), he would be treated just as he had, destined to follow the same path. That basically being their "We're not so different you and I" moment. But what could this voice mean? Is Corey simply remembering things, or is the Black Spider back...

### ***Early Story Developments...***

After this initial interaction, Corey would attempt to remove the necklace, and made the party known of what was happening. Instead of being able to remove it however, the necklace would imbed itself into Corey, only loosening when not being interacted with. Corey would go on to have multiple dreams where the Black Spider appeared ruining scenes of the past, and playing into Corey's fears. However at other times the Black Spider would intrude to share knowledge with Corey, like in **"Welcome to the Undercity"** where he revealed to Corey that the statue was that of a lesser known God called **Mask.** Or during **"The Starts of a Stake Out"** where both Corey and the Black Spider deduced that Avatar was having a psychotic break. During all of this Avner has been taking notes on any developments, but Corey continues to brush off most of his experiences as nothing or too unimportant to mention. It is unknown how much presence this version of the Black Spider has, as he seemingly appears in Corey's mind at random, but having great timing. It can be assumed he could be watching constantly, chiming in when he has the strength to do so. It is also unclear of the exact mental strain Corey undergoes when he appears, but he does clearly have some sort of headache or migraine lasting a few seconds.

### ***Theodas Distrusts Corey***

It's no secret Theodas hates the Drifters, often berating them, calling them stupid, or simply not taking any interest in them. However during a conversation with Avner his good friend in **"New Day More Problems"** he learns of the Necklace of Immortality and feels angered and betrayal. Primarily anger towards Corey for practicing an illegal magic technically bordering on his on ruleset of necromancy. And the betrayal he feels from Avner allowing this to happen after what happened in Starleaf 20 years ago, and soon to happen again. He continues to get hostile with Corey, and angry with him after learning Corey put the necklace on without even considering the consequences. From this point onward Theodas no longer trusts Corey, and his overall opinion on the Drifters is decreased. This is the first point where Corey begins to see what the Black Spider meant in his warning. If Corey continues on wearing the Necklace he will only continue to face backlash from all those who find out...