My first "real" experience with pen & paper RPGs (that didn't suck and were actually about RP as opposed to loot) would be when I started playing PnPs over the internet back in 1999, via the then-free program WebRPG. It was there that I met a good deal of my online friends at the time (Myfwany, Max, Scooter, Shadow, Sebas, Mike, and anybody else I might have forgotten).

My first RP (where I was a player and not a lurker), was in an Elfquest RPG that I played on Saturdays. It only went for four weeks before the GM had to quit due to time conflicts, but that was where I created Mist: an outcast Wolfrider that had stumbled upon and been adopted by another Holt.

Eventually, I would go on to flesh out Mist's backstory more thoroughly for my own Elfquest campaign, and I started writing a fanfic to explain how she wound up with the FallWater Holt. And in a way, Mist is the archetype for two my later World of Warcraft characters: Galerunner and Zoella.

So here, in it's entirety: The first three parts Mist's Story.

 

12/17/2003
Random Elfquest (1/??)...


Her name meant "river spirit," for that was what the humans called her; a child-like ghost that hovered about the waterfalls, vanishing at dawn's light.

To the elves she was Mist, dark of hair and violet-eyed, often seen but never caught. For, when she wanted to be, she could be as elusive and silent as her namesake, often catching unsuspecting prey by total surprise.

To herself she was Fehd, carefree and mischievous, lovemate to Skychaser, wolfriend to Featherfall, and the troublesome daughter of the chieftan Skunkstripe. She disobeyed her father regularly, visiting the humans, teasing the round-ears incessantly, and generally being as much of a pest as possible without actually /seeming/ like a pest. She was good at that. She was good at many things. Thankfully, she was exceptionally good at getting out of all the trouble she caused.

The dawn found her lazing around in her favorite tree, just outside the hedge-wizards's hut, which itself lay on the outskirts of the village the humans had built. Hedge-wizard was up as well, muddling about in that patch of dirt he called a garden. In a little while he would get fed up with the mess and start doing hedge-wizard type stuff, which Mist still didn't quite understand. After all, if his so-called spells were supposed to get rid of spirits, and the humans thought Mist was a spirit, shouldn't Hedge-wizard's spells work on her, then?

And then she remembered: Humans didn't have magic. Silly of her, to think otherwise.

Exactly as she had predicted, Hedge-wizard garrumphed and stomped into his hut, where she heard him rumbling around. Moments later he limped back out, carrying a gnarled staff in his hands. He faced the raising sun, lifted his staff, and begin singing in his thin, reedy voice. Even though Mist was mostly fluent in the humans' tongue, the nature of Hedge-wizard's chant/prayer/spell/whatever escaped her. It also sounded like he'd be at it for a good long while.

Mist sighed lightly. Looked like she wasn't going to see anything interesting today. And her stomach was telling her it was time for dinner.

Moving with sure-footed stealth through the branches, Mist dropped to the ground almost directly behind the Hedge-wizard, confident that he was too deep into his bleating to hear her. She trotted off into the forest.

~One of these days, you're going to get caught.~

She smiled. ~Spying on me, love?~

~Keeping you out of danger. Skunkstripe would have my hide if he thought the humans had you.~

She found Featherfall lying in a small glade, licking the remains of his dinner from his mouth. She stood in front of him, hands on her hips, and glared. "Selfish wolf, you didn't even leave me a scrap!"

The large wolf chuffed.

Mist shook her head and bent to scratch behind his ears. When she straightened, Skychaser was standing nearby, arms folded. She studied him obliquely as she busied herself with a burr in Featherfall's fur. "Well?"

"Well, what?" Sky-blue eyes watched her every movement with equal parts love, concern, and irritation.

"Are you going to tell my father where I was?"

He sighed and looked away. "You didn't show yourself to any of them, did you?"

"Not this time, no." Like her, he was dressed in a plain leather tunic, pants, and boots, all in earthen tones. His bow was on his back, the full quiver at his hip balanced by the short sword on the
other side. Unlike her, his hair, red as the sunset, hung unbound down to the nape of his neck.

He still wasn't looking at her, though. "I guess not, then." He gave her a stern glare. "But, next time..."

"Next time," she interrupted as she straightened. She stepped closer to him. Sliding her arms around his waist, she leaned up and kissed the tip of his nose. "Let's not think about 'next time.'"

"You never think about next time," he muttered. Her soft laughter was muffled as she kissed her way down to his chest. "In fact," he continued, his voice growing slightly husky. "You never think at all."

"Not true," she said. Deft fingers undid his belt. "I'm thinking of something right now." She paused to smile impishly at him. "Care to guess what?"

 

Random Elfquest [2/??]

She sensed Skunkstripe's anger before they were even in sight of the Fathertree. Sitting astride Featherfall, returning her hair to its customary braid, Mist suddenly stiffened and said, "Uh oh."

Riding beside her on his Wolf-friend, Fireflank, Skychaser said, "What's wrong?"

"Father's angry." Finished with her hair, she flipped her braid over her shoulder, where it hung down to her middle-back. She frowned into the distance, in the direction of the Holt. "Something must have happened during the day."

Mist and Skychaser had been much to comfortable in their glade, and it had made much more sense to spend the day there instead of traveling while half-asleep. As a consequence, the sun had set some time ago; they were traveling by the light of the two moons.

Pale eyes full of worry, Skychaser looked at Mist. "What do you think could be-"

~Council! NOW!~

They both winced at Skunkstripe's mental voice. "Wrong?" Mist finished. She gave a half-hearted shrug. "I don't know, but I'm sure we'll find out." She smiled briefly at Skychaser before urging Featherfall into a trot. When a chief calls, even his headstrong daughter must answer. Random Elfquest [3/??]

The Fathertree was old; a majestic black oak like its surrounding brethren, but much larger and wider. Countless tree-shapers had encouraged its growth, creating from it the warm, comforting havens that housed the RavenOak Wolfriders.

On a normal night, the elves, sixteen all together, would be out and active. The calls and laughter of one elf to another. The children, Gust, Breeze, and Mockingbird, playing a game of Hide and Find-me while their parents watch in amusement. Songsmith the Howler getting into yet another argument with Nightfire...

However, as Mist dropped off of Featherfall's back, the holt was silent, and the silence unnerved her. Her father, Skunkstripe stood at the base of the Fathertree, arms folded as he waited for the tribe to assemble.

In silence, Mist joined her mother, seating herself on one of the mighty tree's exposed roots. She took a quick count of those present.

~And, where have you been?~ Dancer asked.

Mist spared a quick glance at her mother. "Around." Catbane, Skychaser's mother, was there, as was Woodloom, the tree-shaper. Woodloom's twin sons, Gust and Breeze, were also there, and they made faces at her. She rolled her eyes, but flashed them a quick smile and a silent ~Cubs!~ which sent them into a fit of giggles until they noticed their father's expression. Darksight, his lifemate Snakestrike, and their young daughter Mockingbird were all present and accounted for. And, here came Skychaser, taking a seat in one of the tree's lower boughs.

So, where was Longaim, Nightfire, Songsmith, and Greenblade? 'Probably hunting,' Mist mused.

She gradually became aware of eyes a shade darker than her own narrowed on her face. "Mist."

She grimaced. "I was at the humans' holt. But, not for very long." Although she had inherited her mother's lithe body, she had gained nothing of her mother's caution. "I wasn't seen, Mother."

Dancer touched her daughter's shoulder. "You could have been hurt."

"I wasn't," Mist said firmly. After a tense moment, mother and daughter finally broke eye contact.

The change was almost palatable. Skunkstripe's face darkened as he lowered his arms, one hand gripping the hilt of his sword. His attention was fixed on the elf approaching the Fathertree.

The newcomer bore such a strong resemblance to Skunkstripe that it was obvious they were brothers. They were both stocky, with the same dark eyes, black hair, and stern, chiseled features. Skunkstripe's hair was marked with a thatch of snow-white, hence his name. Mist's uncle lacked the snow-thatch, but the scar along the left side of his face and neck more than made up for that defining feature.

She heard Darksight mutter, "What is /he/ doing here?"

If Scar heard him, he gave no sign. He scowled at Skunkstripe. "What is the meaning of this, brother? Why bother me?"

"There are matters that need attending to," Skunkstripe said.

'Something isn't right about this.' Mist turned a puzzled gaze towards her mother, but Dancer's attention was on her lifemate. Her expression, though, proved that she, too, felt the disturbance.

But, Scar was talking. "And what 'matters' are they? And, more important, why should I be bothered with your petty concerns?"

"This concerns us all, Scar." Taking a visible grip on his anger, Skunkstripe turned his eyes on his tribe. "The humans' holt grows daily. Too long have we ignored this fact, and now I fear that we may pay for that ignorance.

"The humans are cutting a path through the forest.

"The Fathertree lies within that path."

Exclamations of surprise went up among the gathered elves. Humans in the Holt? Unthinkable! How could this be prevented? How could this be stopped? How long until they arrived? How-

Laughter. Cold, mocking, and hard. It broke into Mist's thoughts and silenced the group of elves.

Skychaser leaped to his feet. "What are /you/ laughing about? This affects you just as much as it does us!"

Scar's voice dripped contempt. "How exactly does the destruction of /your/ holt affect how /I/ live? I'm nothing more than an example of how all you are going to be soon, cub: homeless wanderers."

"You lie!" Teeth bared, Skychaser nearly lunged at the older elf, but Mist leaped in front of him, blocking his path. ~Lovemate, control yourself!~ She caught his gaze, holding it until he looked away, chagrined.

Mist took a deep breath and turned towards her uncle. "We will not lose our home."

"No, we will not." The look Skunkstripe gave her was approving. He swept his gaze among the tribe. "We will not lose our home. Nor, will we allow the humans to continue their destruction of the forest. We will stop them."

"And how are supposed to do that?" Catbane said.

"War." Scar's smile was cruel.

"Not war," Skunkstripe said firmly. He glared at his brother. "I do not intend to repeat Two-Spears' mistake and have my tribe slaughtered."

"Then there's nothing you can do."

"There /is/ something we can do. Humans are superstitious. They think we are spirits. It is time we reinforced that belief." He smiled briefly, and Mist caught a glimpse of the mischievousness she had inherited. "We will teach them that to destroy the forest is to incur the wrath of their 'spirits.'"

Mist was grinning as broadly as her father. 'So, that's where the others went.'

Scar snorted. "You called me here for this?"

"I called you here because you are my brother, and still a member of my tribe, whatever else you think. I want your help, Scar."

"Help you? Pester humans?" Scar glared at the elves around him, and suddenly his face became thoughtful. "Hm... Perhaps, I will. On my own terms, of course."

"Of course."

A look, a shared sentiment, passed between the two brothers. Scar smirked at the gathering and walked away.

Almost immediately, the tribe relaxed. Questions asked in excited voices littered the air. Mist leaned back, into Skychaser's embrace, and met her father's eyes with a smile.

Time for some fun.