the Druid and the Gypsy, Part 1

   But that was before and this is now and so I shall share a bit of what is current in the River Lands. I shall begin with once upon a time for we all know, all good stories begin that way.

   Once upon a time, there was a druid and a gypsy woman whose fates were destined to be intertwined in such a way that the mere fabric of sanity and possibility would be challenged. I surely cannot give you all the details, friends, for some things are so secret that should I speak of them even here, a great evil would sweep down upon me and my lands (If you wish to know more, come roleplay with us and flesh out the details.)

    So to continue, it just so happened that the Druid was doing what druids do, collecting herbs when the gypsy happened along. He had been possessed of something dark and it seemed to be crawling through his very being urging him toward a kind of insanity that left his people in fear. Are you imagining scenes of common folk making their way up the mountain to his castle with torches and pitchforks? Well that did not exactly happen, but he feared it surely.

   Long ago, he had done the gypsy a kindness of sorts; well, if you consider saving her life when a crazed beast attacked her vardo, tore the heart from her horse and most surely would have harmed her had he not come along a kindness. And now she thought to help him, return the kindness as some gypsy's are known to do. But that was futile, surely,  because how could a gypsy help a possessed druid king hmmmm? Now as it so happens and you know the evil one was bound to show HER face about then, the very one responsible for his plight happened along. So to shorten things and not to give away overly much, I will confess that the gypsy begged the evil one to give her his punishment and thus a partnership was struck wherein, they would share the evil curse, both having half of it.

   So it came to be that the Druid and gypsy are seemingly irrevocably entwined and a friendship grew, one for the other. Now though this is a *Once Upon a Time* kind of story, it is not one of romance as the Druid's heart is very much taken. But that, friends, is another story for another time. So to continue, the Druid sought to return the kindness the gypsy had done him and again made a pact with SHE who commanded their silence.

    This time, he gave a bit of his land and his solemn vow that he would never speak of HER (the demon) or reveal her to anyone. And in exchange, that which possessed the two individually would possess only the one. However, and there is always a HOWEVER, in tales such as these, the two now shared the entity, but in an entirely different way. You see, the entity was made whole and existed only within the Druid. But when the ArchMage or the High Cleric was near and might suss the entity out, he could whisper in the gypsy's ear and the entity would move from one to the next and so on and so on as needed to protect their ghastly secret.

   So what to do next hmmmm. The town's people and EVEN the elven Queen of the neighboring land had them tied to beds in the infirmary and after several days and much excitement in between, the Druid decided they would make their escape. And so they did! The Druid worked a bit of his magic and freed himself from the ropes and in an epic rescue shouted "EARTH WIND FIRE AND WATER, take us to a place of safety." And as he cry reverberated into the air, an answer came as the Druid jerked the Gypsy to his side and they disappeared from the infirmary on a tidal wave of the purest water.

   There is more, much more of this tale, but in truth, it has not met its conclusion yet. Suffice it to say, I will tell you more as the plot unravels.

( If you have a interest in medi-fantasy roleplay, our community would welcome you and I would be delighted to give you a personal tour. We roleplay in Inworldz. Look up Jaekob Faolan or the River Lands and I will introduce you to dragons and gypsies and duchesses and well....you can meet the Druid.)