Ferdinand Goes To White Sands

[youtube:https://youtube.com/watch?v=V7-tQQnRdKw]Story Script:

Ferdinand Keet had always harbored strong emotions towards the pigmen. hearing tales of nether forces burning down villages full of women and children no less turned his stomach. He had heard these stories enough times that he felt nothing but hatred for them all. Only just turned 17, Ferdinand did not yet qualify for the Port Breigh Grand Army and even if he did, he had not yet decided King Donao's army was the best plan of attack or defense as it was against the enemy. King Donao was simply reacting to the attacks not taking it to them, people who claimed to be in the know of these battles claimed humans were only barely holding on to the stalemate, as the forces of fire and lava far outnumbered those of men. Ferdinand his friends, who gathered frequently at the Adventurers Guild of Port Breigh often talked of other ways to defeat their foe. These conversations frequently turned to the frost roads and their supposed power over ice and cold. It was known that the zombie pigmen fear water and since ice is just a form of it that should have a strong effect, right? No one Ferdinand knew had ever seen a Frost Druid in action until the fateful day that he had been saved by a full group of them. This was the only push he needed it was time to set out from Port Breigh away from the only home he had ever known and throw in with these mysterious Druids. Maybe just maybe if he could learn their magics he could come back to Port Breigh and convince the King that they, The Frost Druids could indeed be man's salvation.

Ferdinand Keet set out heading down the West Road early just a few days after resigning as the first mate of The Bearded Sabre. He was convinced that The Frost Druids must have the only way to, win the war with the nether and that he could be the one to bring it back to the east. He had asked for his final pay to come early so he could hire a Ranger Free Walker to escort him from Port Breigh to White Sands as a ticket for the airship ride would have used nearly all of his savings. Free Walker Thawkins was the only one in the Adventurers Guild that morning and was willing to go at once saying he had been cooped up under a roof for too long and did his best thinking as starlight. As they walked Ferdinand picked Ranger Thawkins mind about the world outside the walls of Port Breigh. although the youngster had traveled far from the castle, he generally sailed only two Ports and harbors loaded the ship and sailed back to the safety of the City. Thawkins told him many tales of gambling, women, encounters with thieves, and more but would say nothing when Ferdinand prodded him about The Frost Druids Thawkins told him the furthest west he had ever traveled to was ice beyond the Monument To The Fallen but he would speak no more of what he saw there. Only that it was best seen with one's own Eyes.

Many days and nights pass without incident when they finally approached White Sands. Ferdinand asked yet again the price to be accompanying from White Sands through the frozen lands to the west and yet again the Ranger grunted that he'd be happy to return to the east and something about them keeping the visions to themselves. Maybe the older man meant to dissuade Ferdinand from his journey but it did no such thing. Although he knew the road was hard and about to get much harder on his own, Ferdinand Keet stepped a bit more quickly as he approached the city of White Sands.

Ferdinand Keet) arrived safely at White Sands after a long, uneventful journey. Although Ranger escorts are paid for by King Donao, the traveler is still required to pay for food and lodging while on the road. It seems Ferdinand underestimated the older ranger’s appetite and the amazing amount of mead he could consume before passing out at each inn or tavern along the way. Still, though, Ranger Thawkins had proved his worth when they had been attacked by a large group of skeletons near Princeton. By the time the pair made their way to White Sands, Ferdinand was nearly broke.

As they approached the Palace gates of the gambler’s city, Ferdinand asked Ranger Thawkins, “It looks like I’ll be staying here for some time, I’ll need to find a job to earn enough to continue west, any suggestions.” As he typically did with any question requiring an answer longer than a grunt yes or a grunt no, Thawkins simply shrugged and continued through the front gate. Ferdinand extended his hand to thank the ranger for the safe escort through the wild, but he replied to my muttering something about a hangover and needing a stiff drink, nodded, and turned away from the boy. “Well…. It looks like I’m on my own.”

A few weeks passed, Ferdinand found odd jobs around the city. Anything from gathering ice overnight, or scraping windblown white sand off roofs. One night, after a long and hard shift at the ice farms north of the city, Ferdinand shuffled to the Adventurers’ Guild of White Sands, named “The Dry Mouth” Only a few patrons sat at the bar, one was a familiar face.

“Found work, boy?” muttered Thawkins He was sitting in front of several empty shot glasses and looked like he had been hitting it hard all night.

“Some…. None that pays much though.”

“Mhmm…” “I’m headed West if you want to make some coin… - you’re not helpless with a sword, and the further west, the less civilized things get.”

“Are you offering me a job?”

“I’m leaving tomorrow at dawn, come if you want.” putting down his glass, the Ranger stalked out of the bar.

Why was the old Ranger headed west, he said he only goes to White Sands, Ferdinand hadn’t even had a chance to ask him, but he was offered a job that wasn’t harvesting ice or scraping sand and got him further to his goal of meeting The Frost Druids. It was time to pack his few things and prepare for the journey west!

People In the Story:

* Ferdinand Keet

* Thom Thawkins

Locations are shown in Cinematics:

* Thumbnail: White Sands where Talatol and the Cursed Blight was casted

* Port Breigh

* The Great Fir Forest

* Cheekyfoxglove

* Kelael

* White Sands