The Story of Wilfric the Brave

Born in Elverston and raised a Heffling, Wilfric became the hero of Atharia when he lead his band of Hefflings into the Night World and defeated the Dominion.
This is his story.

Child

Wilfric was born to a humankind mother and father who loved him dearly. Life was peaceful and his parents had begun teaching Wilfric the Brostian values of bravery, strength and honour. However, disaster struck his hometown, as those who were once dead rose from the graves where they were laid to rest.
Amidst the mayhem, Wilfric and his family tried to flee; but there was too many undead swarming the town. Skeletons and remains of both people of the distant past and of those who were recently lost began to wake up and savagely hunt the living of Elverston.
In a mad rush to find safety, Wilfric had lost his parents whilst being submerged in a pack of all those fleeing in fear. Elverston was also set alight, creating a scene of nightmares filled with death, destruction and screams.
Eventually, Wilfric had found himself alone and afraid, as he dove into a place to hide. Curled up in a barrel for the majority of the night, Wilfric remembers the words of his father.

Wilfric the Brave by Heffe

"Remember, feeling fear and overcoming it, that is where true courage lies. Face your fears and be brave, my son."

— The words of Wilfric's Father told to Wilfric, long ago.

Angel of Hope by Heffe

"I don't know why, but an Angel saved me that day. She is out there somewhere and I must find her."

— Sir Wilfric of Elverston

As soon as the town fell silent, Wilfric took the opportunity and climbed out of his barrel of safety. Immediately, Wilfric was aware the horror was not yet over as Elverston was swamped with the roaming undead. With his young and light agility, he was able to sneak through the streets and alleys of Elverston. Wilfric knew he had to escape the town to seek help and warn others about what happened that night.
Whilst hiding behind cover and using the shadows for concealment, Wilfric had made his way towards the edge of the town. Freedom was ahead. However, just as Wilfric saw a way out of town, he found two familiar figures. Wilfric called out to them only to watch the two most important people in his life in horror as they turned to him with empty eyes. His once gentle mother and wise father, stood neither dead nor alive.
Almost simultaneously, the undead began to chase Wilfric after he had mistakenly revealed himself. Unfortunately, it was as though his parents still knew their son as Wilfric was caught first by his mother, then father. Giving Wilfric the worst last memory anyone could have of their parents, as they mindlessly begin to feed on their helpless son.
All of a sudden, a bright light shines upon the bundle. Wilfric squints and was blinded for a short while; only to open his eyes again to see what he identified as an Angel, offering her hand to him. All that Wilfric could remember is the fur and wool bedroll he woke upon and the time after that in the camp of the Hefflings.

Heffling

Many years later Wilfric had travelled across Brostia and much of the rest of Atharia, as he grew up as a Camper for the Hefflings. Before he was 16 years old, he had seen the Everblades, he had petted the cats of Dawnton and walked over Titan's Crossing.

All the while with the Heffling camp, he became good friends with Dhukrid, a Humankind who was a similar age to Wilfric and had helped him settle during Wilfric's younger years. He also met Ida the camp's cook, Tormod the camp's doctor and Gilbert the smithy. However, Wilfric had always looked up to the leader of the Hefflings, Ali Ritvasson.
Wilfric trained hard to become an adventurer and was given his first chance in a quest to help guard a travelling merchant's caravan. Our fresh adventurer was successful with his first quest, demonstrating discipline, charm and ego. He soon became the regular choice for these kinds of quests, however, he was soon to be tested.

"We're wanderers; we're adventurers; we're family. This is the way of life for a Heffling."

— Ali Ritvasson teaching Wiflric what it means to be a Heffling

Brave

With 3 years of experience Wilfric the Brave, as he became known as, was quested to aid the royal guard of Brostia. The King had requested, with complete discretion and confidence, to transport himself and his family from their palace in Middledale to the capital, Brosfellton. This was when there were issues of a rebellion within Brostia, which threatened the lives of the King's family. Therefore he had gone into hiding, leaving a regency behind in the capital, which he had been managing from Middledale.
The incite of rebellion, eventually, settled down; enough for the King to feel it was safe enough to return home to Brosfellton. Based on their Martial's report, there were still many supporters of the rebellion out in the wilderness. Even though their efforts to disrupt the realm had decreased, there was still a chance a group would take the opportunity to spark a civil war.

The plan was there was to be a decoy who was to travel across the rolling hills of Clohen, heading directly to Brosfellton. The decoy was to be a very public affair, so the real caravan could slip away and travel unnoticed. The real caravan's plan was as followed:

1. First the caravan was to travel and stop at Elverston, this was to be Wilfric's first return since the Hefflings had rescued him.
2. The caravan was then to travel swiftly through the wilderness, across Melison's Meadow and through the narrow passage between the forests of Abrith and Golath known as the Green Vale.
3. Finally, they were to rendevous with a boat moored in the fishing town of Ebonpeak which is to take them directly to Brosfellton.

However, not everything went to plan, as the caravan was travelling through the Green Vale where they had met trouble. First arrows whizzed through the chests of many guards, then yelling armoured men charged towards the carts where the King and their family were.
According to Wilfric, he was instructed by the king himself to protect his son and heir by taking a horse and ride away. Taking an arrow in the thigh, Wilfric and the king's heir Mavrus narrowly escaped the ambush and rode into the forest. For the many days which felt like weeks, the two had emerged from the great Golath forest and made it safely to the gates of Brosfellton; though received an unexpected greeting.

Where True Courage Lies by Heffe

"No matter how dark the night gets, there is always dawn. Have faith, don't give up and fight your fears."

— Wilfric when he tried to comfort Mavrus in the time they were lost in Golath forest.

Traitor

Wilfric the Brave was immediately arrested, after being charged with high treason and being part of the Brostian Rebellion. There were accusations of Wilfric plotting against the King, who had somehow survived the ambush, to kidnap the heir of the throne. Our hero was then thrown into the dungeons of the capital's keep, whilst news of a so-called rebel being wrongfully arrested spread.

"But the king ordered me to abandon the caravan to save his son. Why kidnap the heir only to return him? What motive do I have to do so?"

— Wilfric, protesting his arrest.

Soon the rest of the Hefflings heard of Wilfric's situation and soon mustered to aid him. It is said Wilfric was able to contact the Hefflings through many letters, which were sent out by the Brostian rebellion group. At the same time, the rebellion had risen and a riot within the capital had begun. Under this chaotic time, the Hefflings managed to help Wilfric escape from captivity; who then fled to the mainland of Atharia. The Hefflings exiled into the mainland and since then Wilfric stopped accepting quests and returned to being a Camper.

Exiled

Struggling to make ends meet, the Hefflings roamed the mainland of Atharia. Wilfric continued to work as a Camper, helping the likes of Ida, Tormod and Gilbert manage the camp. Often Wilfric would enter settlements to aid in delivering supplies for the camp, but this was as far as Wilfric's adventuring would go. In this time, there had been mysterious occurrences throughout Atharia, with rumours of Undead roaming in cemeteries, monsters lurking in the forests and reports of people seeing holes into what was only described as the Abyss. However, the Hefflings were camped outside of the capital of Dovaria, Varden; for a quest to investigate strange murders where the victims were left with bite marks on their necks.
In the time of Wilfric's exile from Brostia, the Brostian King had defeated the rebellion, by ruthlessly executing those who opposed him. However, soon later the King passed away and his son, Mavrus had been coronated. History was made, when the new King of Brostia was to marry the Queen of Dovaria, as no other kingdom had formed this kind of bond; especially as marriage was done so through love, not politics.
The wedding was held at the Dovarian capital, Varden; at the same time the Hefflings were camped outside. Coincidence? Unlikely, especially as information of the strange murders leads to the top. Vampires, a creature only thought to be a myth, had somehow made their way into the Dovarian's Crown Court.
As what is now to be considered as the beginning of the Decade of Darkness, it was the day of the Royal Wedding. The Queen had organised the wedding to be open to the public to spectate. However, masks were removed as the King of Brostia revealed himself as the Vampire King, who then savagely fed on the Queen; which history describes as the moment which shocked even the Gods.

"I'm sorry, I have let you all down," Wilfric stares into his flask of ale.
"You have done what any one of us would have done at the moment." Ali rests his palm on Wiflric's shoulders.
"But I'm tarnishing our reputation the longer I stay, I must leave."
"Wilfric, you've been a Heffling for many years and you're yet to learn. We're family and families stick together, no matter what,"
Wilfric looks up to see the rest of the Party, nodding in solidarity, as Ali continues, "now stop spoiling a good pint with your tears and drink up! For tomorrow, we quest."

— On the night before the Royal Wedding.

Suddenly, rifts began to tear through Atharia, where beasts from the Night World began to invade. The Hefflings, who was attending the wedding fought against the vampires who attacked the city from within. Unfortunately, the vampire's powers were too much. The Hefflings were defeated and the Vampire King announced them dead. However rumour also spread, that the Hefflings dove into the Night World to save Atharia.

Hero

For ten years, most of Atharia was taken over by the Dominions of the Night World. Many rifts were left open, to be gateways for the Dominions to travel between the two planes of Atharia and the Night World.
Millions of Atharians suffered during these ten years of torture, torment and terror. Death felt like freedom to many and luxury to those lucky enough to escape the grasp of the Dominions. However, with their necromancy abilities only best described as magical, even the dead could not rest.

Into the Night by Heffe

"You don't need magic to do amazing things."

— Sir Wilfric of Elverston

Despair spread like a disease throughout Atharia. Those devout had lost their faith in the gods they worshipped. If Atharians needed a miracle, now was the time. Some still clung onto the hope, as many disbelieved the Hefflings would return victorious; in fact many thought they had been defeated.
However, Atharians began to fight back. Valons of Taria were formed and trained in Embercliff to utilize what many followers of Taria's Order call the Gift from Taria herself, Magic.
With this divine power, Atharians were able to fight back. Rifts began to close as the people erected Obilisks of Light, which emit a radius of divine protection from the Dominions. The fighting eventually pushed the Dominions back to Varden, when a bright light shined from the keep.
The commander of the Valons, Sir Jard of Blackbottom lead a squad into the keep's throneroom where Wilfric himself was sat on the throne; weary, beaten, but alive. The Dominions were defeated. Atharia was saved.
He reported at the time of the Royal Wedding, which to him was weeks ago, Ali was slain in the conflict with the Vampire King who retreated into the Night World. With the rift open, Wilfric rallied and lead the Hefflings into the Night World.

After a series of maddening events, the Hefflings were eventually faced with the Child of the Night herself, Sapa; the Goddess of the Dark. A showdown ensued, where many Hefflings fled or fell, but Wiflric kept fighting until he was victorious and was the only one who had returned to Atharia.
After that, all Wiflric wanted to do was rest.

Legend

The Atharian Alliance was formed with Taria's Order to protect the Plane of Atharia, Wilfric returned home to Brostia. He was knighted by Queen Saphielle of Brostia, who also granted Wilfric the fiefdom of Elverston to rebuild.
Since then, he married to Lady Briellen who then birthed their child, D'Lara. Songs were sung by many bards of the world, telling tales of a hero of Atharia who went to hell and back, to save the lives of many.
Today, Atharians celebrate the Remembrance of Darkness to mourn those who had lost their live during the Decade of Darkness. They also praise Taria for granting them her powers to fight back and they thank Wilfric the Brave and the Hefflings for their honourable sacrifice to save Atharia from the Dark.

Wilfric the Brave, whose will did not cave. Into the Night World, he went, ten years were spent.
The dominions he fought, were defeated or caught. Wilfric the Brave, Atharia he saved.

— A snippet of The Ballard of the Brave