Bjorn

* Humanoid Form
* Bear Form

## "*Sniff*" - Bjorn

### Background

Bjorn was born in the midst of a large a and loving family, they were one of the many dar'zur trading caravans travelling across the continent. Bjorn however retains no memory of this family. When he was but a few years old the caravan was attacked by a group of bandits and if not all of them were killed or captured as slaves. Bjorn's mother hid him in a basket hoping he would go unnoticed by the bandits. Bjorn slept through the attack and woke up to find himself alone in the dark surrounded by dead members of his family. His cries filled the forest as baby Bjorn screamed for his mother. The anguish he felt changed him and the sound of baby cries was replaced by the whimpers of a bear cub. The whimpers attracted the attention of a mother bear who just had emerged from hibernation with her two cubs. The bear mother adopted baby Bjorn unaware that he was actually a human. Bjorn spent the following years as a bear following his mother and brothers. Learning how to hunt how to fish and how to forage. When it was time Bjorn set out on his own to claim his own territory. Within a few months tales of the Giant Red Bear spread through the neighboring cities and hunter's rushed to claim the glory of slaying the mighty beast. Bjorn fended off many hunters but one day he was overwhelmed and fell. As his conscious escaped him he reverted to his original form. Taken by surprise by the transformation the hunters took him to the nearest City for treatment. There the people tried their best to teach Bjorn how to live among people again. Although Bjorn was reluctant he soon developed a taste for literature and poetry much to the surprise of everyone around him. After a year Bjorn decided to set out on his own as he desired to see more of the world so he could put it's beauty into his poems. Although able to somewhat function in society Bjorn still feels most comfortable as a bear and will almost assuredly smell you when he meets you.

### The Mirror Palace

After the Vulcan Team saved Amurel from destruction, the Ladian Empire continued its expansion, slowly clearing away the Shadow Beasts and making room for the resettlement of areas in the continent of Koruthar. However, settlements in the far reaches have fallen victims to a sudden rise in disappearances, a through line shared in many of these incidents are individuals having recurring dreams with a lavish palace, completely covered in mirrors of various colors, before their sudden disappearance. Faroei, leader of the Faroak Village, one of these far-reaching settlements, was attempting to investigate the disappearances before he too suddenly disappeared, causing the Ladian government to mobilize a group of mercenaries to investigate the matter, and hopefully return Faroei. Bjorn was hired as one of the mercenaries, he accepted not for the money but for the opportunity to see such place with his own eyes and write a poem about its beauty.

Bjorn and his newly acquired companions were received in Faroak by the Vice-Mayor Jodi, Jodi explained how Faroei had been looking into the recent disappearances that have been happening in town and into the mirror palace. She showed the group a painting of Faroei. Bjorn smelled the painting but couldn’t detect anything besides the smell of paint. The group took some time to investigate the mayor’s house in hopes of finding clues about his disappearance.

While investigating the upper floor, where the mayor’s quarters were located, Bjorn sensed a distinct smell. The scent was coming from underneath the bed. Upon investigating Bjorn found a silver sword and dagger as well as a small wooden box. Inside the box were a pair of women’s underwear.

Bjorn rejoined his companions in the lower floor of the house delivering the underwear to Wilbur:

-The mayor had a woman over and probably a werewolf problem. – Said Bjorn pointing at the swords. – I am keeping them.

Upon inquiring Jodi, she mentioned that Lixi would come by the mayor’s office often.

The investigation of the mayor’s quarters continued, and a letter was found from the local blacksmith, Cabe. Stating that we would not take the disrespect that the mayor had brought upon him by spreading rumours and challenging him to a duel. The letter was found inside a book with elvish child’s tales that had been gifted to the mayor. With now two places to investigate the team left the mayor’s house to check in on the blacksmith.

On the way to the blacksmith’s house the group came across a young man that seemed interested in their work. Saurro posed some questions to him namely about Faroei’s relationship with the village inhabitants. The you man named, Cube confirmed the groups suspicions that Lixi was indeed involved with the mayor stating that it was very obvious due to her constant visits.  The group also inquired about the blacksmiths letter and discovered that Cube was the blacksmiths son. Despite this he confirmed that it seemed very like his father to challenge the mayor to a duel, but he hoped that he did not kill him. After these questions the group moved on and while leaving Bjorn sniffed Cube.

Their first stop was at Lixi’s house where after sniffing her Bjorn confirmed that the underwear was hers. After returning her belongings, the group posed some questions, but she did not seem to know anything about Faroei’s disappearance. However, she did know about the mirror palace as she explained that it was a story that appeared in a book she had gifted to the mayor. The group remembered the book, but they forgot to bring it so Bjorn ran back to the mayor’s house to fetch it. Upon investigation of the book, they found it to have a page missing, this page regarded the location of the mirror palace. Lixi did not seem to know anything about the missing page, only that the mayor began acting strange after reading the story.

The next clue was the blacksmith, upon approaching the house the group could hear metal being worked signalling that their suspect was home. Bjorn entered first and promptly smelled the blacksmith, he initially reacted violently until Saurro calmed him down explaining that Bjorn wasn’t really from there. The man did not deny sending the letter to Faorei explaining that his defamation was an attack on his honour but stated that he never showed up for their duel and was a coward. While the group interrogated him an elderly man approached from one of the nearby houses and started urinating on some tools. Cabe chased him away, clearly annoyed as this wasn’t the first time this had happened.

After the interrogation was over and once again proved to be little help the group decided to stake the houses of both their suspects.

During the night the group spotted Lixi leaving their house and heading towards Cabe’s house. She however knocked on the door of the old man that pissed in Cabe’s equipment instead. Once the old man opened the door the two spoke to each other for some time and then Lixi left once again. Bjorn tried to listen in on their conversation, but he could only discern the word “page”. Deciding that this was enough information to act on Saurro decided to knock on the old man’s door and once he didn’t not open, he instructed Bjorn to tear the door down, which Bjorn did.

Inside the old man seemed terrified of the group and quickly tried to run away, Bjorn caught him and knocked him unconscious. The group the began searching the house. On top of one of the tables Saurro found the missing page of the book, which described the location of the Mirror Palace. As soon as Saurro’s hands touched the page the old man sprung awake and screamed. From inside his mouth spectral hands appeared and pulling itself from inside the man a ghost emerged. The old man shat himself and Bjorn immediately dropped him and prepared to engage the ghost.

The fight with the ghost was hard since he could emit a scream that frightened most of the group and made them unable to get close enough to it to attack. Wilbur was able to maintain a safe distance and attack with is crossbow, but Saurro was caught by and attack and rendered unconscious. Bjorn was able to quickly revive him with a spell and handed Varis the silvered dagger since himself could not get close enough to attack. The ghost then possessed Saurro, with Bjorn restraining him with vines to stop him from hurting himself or others. Without the ghost in sight Bjorn was able to move in close to Saurro with the latter breaking free of the possession shortly after and making the ghost emerge once again. Bjorn was able to break free of his spell and his rage against his foe made him transform into his bear form, but another spell was cast forcing the group to dance uncontrollably. Although unable to move expect for dancing Bjorn was able to gather enough energy to spew a cone of flames onto the creature wounding it. The wounds inflicted upon the creature broke its concentration and the group was able to break free of it one by one. Then Varis dropped from the ceiling and stabbed the ghost with the silver knife while Bjorn mauled it in his bear form. Wounded the ghost swore revenge and fled.

With the missing page in their possession the group finally knew the location of the mirror palace. Fortunately, it wasn’t far and a day’s journey later they found themselves gazing upon the magical beauty of the palace. As mirrors of all imaginable colours reflected the sunlight. Bjorn, inspired by the sight wrote a small poem about the palace’s beauty.  The group descended towards the palace, the areas surrounding it were infested with shadow beasts. While sneaking through the ruins of the small village that surrounded the palace the group came face to face with a giant shadow beast that forced them to seek refuge inside the palace.

As soon as they entered the door locked behind them, trapping them inside the palace. The inside of it was as beautiful as the outside with mirrors of many colours letting the natural light shine trough them. On their left a large window let them see inside one of the palace’s rooms. Inside the room stood a coffin covered in gold as well as part of a broken mirror. Saurro instructed Bjorn to break the glass. Bjorn tried but the glass was magical, and his axe did not even dent it. With the endeavour failed the team investigated the doors to their right. The door led to a huge ball room were multiple ghosts were dancing and among them was Faroei’s ghost.

Attempts to ask him any questions were futile as he kept mentioning how they were in a ball and they should dance and that they were ruining the mood for everyone. With their efforts once again proved futile the group began searching the other rooms of the palace. In a room adjacent to the ball room, they found a lone ghost, and a clock. When asked why he wasn’t part of the ball the ghost said that he did not like dancing. The clock in the room seemed off as it shifted between many hours but never struck midnight. There was also a door in the opposite wall of the door they had come in through Bjorn opened this door and found himself in room with a floor made of glass. Beneath the floor a river of souls flowed and on the opposite side of the room a large glass disk stood on a pedestal. Bjorn tried to walk into the room but when he stepped into it the floor descended rapidly towards the soul river. Bjorn was fast enough to retreat in time. The ghost in the room mentioned that there was a map that allowed to transverse the room safely and it was being held by one of the ghosts in the ball.

The group quickly mobilized to ask all the ghosts about the map, Saurro found the holder of said map, but he said that he would only give it to the best dancer prompting Saurro to ask everyone to dance. Wilbur despite his advanced age began breakdancing in the middle of the ball room. His dancing was so hypnotizing that prompted all the ghost to begin breakdancing as well and thus grating him the prize for the best dancer.

With the map to the room in their possession Bjorn once again tried to reach the glass disk by walking only on the tiles that the map specified. However once again as he gave his first step the floor descended towards the river. Only when someone suggested that he tried the mirrored version of the map Bjorn was able to walk safely towards the disk and back. With the disk in their possession the group could see that inside of it there was a music sheet, although the glass made it distorted and difficult to read.

With the orb seeming apparently useless the group began investigating another room adjacent to both the ball room and the room with the clock. This room was a chasm that led to the soul river that Bjorn saw in the puzzle room. Two chandeliers hanged from the ceiling. While the group looked at the room the green ghost from the previous room ran in and tossed the glass disk into the river. Saurro, fortunately was quick enough casting mage hand and was able to catch the paper. Bjorn ran after the ghost and stabbed it with his silver dagger interrogating him about his actions. The ghost explained that he could not let midnight come and that Bjorn could kill him if he so wished. Bjorn decided to spare the ghost but thernetd that if he ever interfered in their affairs' that he would kill him.

While this happened Kazir, using his slime powers, crawled trough the walls of the room in order to reach a platform on the other side of the river. There he found another room as well a hidden revolving door. Bjorn was the first to go trough it only to realize that the door only opened in one direction. At Saurro's request Bjorn investigated the other door and found that it led to yet another ballroom. Upon transmitting this information to the group the rest joined him by crossing the revolving door.

In the second ballroom the ghost of an elven prince danced among the ghost couples, Saurro recognized the prince from the mirror piece he had seen upon first entering the castle. Piece which seemed to be in the room adjacent to the second ball room. However upon opening this door Saurro and Bjorn found the room to be filed with magical darkness. Saurro was able to crawl and retrieve the mirror despite the darkness, however this seemed to trigger something as Bjorn heard the coffin lid open. Scared Bjorn close the door and leaned against it to stop whatever had wakened in the room.

Meanwhile Wilbur tried to talk to the elven prince but unfortunately it was as insightful as talking with Faroei as he insisted on dancing around and avoided most questions. Saurro then investigated the other room leaving Bjorn to defend the door alone. The second room was filled with many glass disks and (for some reason) Saurro decided to throw some of them onto the river. One of the disks contained several aggressive shadow like creatures, that tried to attack Saurro but they were consumed by the soul river and died. Bjorn still leaning against the door stopped felling resistance and assumed that the creature had given up. However when Bjorn stepped away from the door it opened slightly but nothing came out. Scared Bjorn closed the door once again.

Saurro after throwing some more disks in the river decided to look once again at the music sheet that he had recovered from the very first disk. He noticed that the song consisted on three keys only with the succession: D major, E major, A minor and D major. Saurro the offhandedly remarked that it spelled DEAD. As soon as Saurro pronounced the word a low bell toll could be heard and the music that before permeated the palace stopped abruptly, the mirror walls of the palace shattered. The previous glee of the ghosts in the first ballroom turned into dread as they screamed for their lives. A large lumbering read ghost appeared in the ballroom and began gorging on the ghosts. When Saurro tried to return to his companions he found the amidst a battle with a blue ghost. Bjorn in his bear form was able to decapitate the ghost, but the head grew scythe like arms and began attacking as well. Eventually the group was able to fell the ghost and Bjorn rushed towards the final ghost. The group followed and together they fought the giant ghost with Wilbur dealing the final blow. As the ghost fell trough the floor he dropped another broken piece of a mirror. This piece showed the elven prince severely deformed and mutilated being eaten by people that seemed similar to the three colored ghosts.

With the threats gone the group decided to explore a bit more of the palace, Bjorn went to the room with the several glass disks and began breaking them on the floor. Among the items that the disks contained Bjorn uncovered a third and final part of the mirror that depicted a town being ravaged by shadow beasts.

Once the mirror pieces were reunited the mirror fixed itself magically. The fixing of the mirror triggered the decaying of the mirror palace with the floor collapsing to the soul river below and the elven prince ghost decaying rapidly and disappearing. The mirror then spoke to the group informing them that it would grant them one wish as thanks for repairing him. The group discussed what wish should they ask for since they only got one as a group. Bjorn suggested that they asked for Wilbur to be returned to his prime as a warrior. Wilbur denied stating that he had lived enough. The group eventually decided on asking the mirror for Faroei since that's who the were hired t seek out, Saurro was displeased at this decision and tried to destroy a drawing he had made of Faroei as a ghost dancing. Bjorn stopped him as "No art should be destroyed".

The mirror glowed and sucked the group onto himself teleporting them to the outskirts of Faroak along with Faroei. Faroei seemed malnourished and confused not really understanding what just happened. The group tried explain in the best way possible the somewhat confusing events that led to his death and resurrection. The group also discussed the possibility of Faroei being cursed and Wilbur told him to keep an eye out for strange things.

They soon returned to the village in order to receive their reward were they were warmly received by Jodi who was overjoyed to know they had retrived Faroei alive. In regards to the mirror the group decided to take it into LadTown and sell it with approval from the Lads.