Lore Season 3: Nogard's Rising

Just over three years had passed since the death of Kalanant. Life had seemingly returned to normal. Tribes began to squabble, pups roamed Primordia in safety, and the forests were teeming with life.

Nogard was given another chance at life, but she was still haunted by memories of the night of her murder. An altar... Red robes... A dagger shining in the moonlight. She couldn't describe what it felt like being reborn. Death and rebirth happened instantly for her.

Her parents hovered over her constantly, feeling a deep sense of guilt for her initial kidnapping. Nogard would often disappear into the forest for hours trying desperately to remember who took her that horrific night.

Nogard knew about the prophecy but didn't understand her role in it all. The council insisted that she was the prophesized leader that would protect the Moonrunners from evil. But Nogard didn't know what to believe and whom to trust.

After the death of Kalanant, the Dragon Cult vanished from the mountain, leaving everything behind. The Tribes explored every corner but could never find an entrance other than the bloodied stone door.

As time went on Nogard spent more and more time in the mountain trying to make sense of the Dragon Cult and why they sacrificed her.

Some nights, sitting atop the mountain, staring into the valley below, Nogard would see bright objects flitting through the sky. But always disappearing as they grew closer to Carouza. Her best friend Aulus who sometimes joined her could never see the lights Nogard spoke of.

Aulus noticed that Nogard was lacking a sense of purpose and that her nightmares were getting worse. Worried about her wellbeing, he went to the high council and asked them to step in.

Dismayed by the news that Aulus brought before them, the council knew it was time to speak to Nogard. Nogard hated the council for trying to control her life and keep her out of trouble.

The Moonspeakers had spent the last three years interpreting the prophecy and agreed that Nogard had to go through a period of development translated to "The Challenges" in wolven speech.

Nogard stood before the leaders of each Tribe at the high council confused and slightly irritated. The Speaker looked around the room, first to the Moonspeakers, and then to Nogard and uttered a few simple words that would forever change Nogard's life.

"You are to embark upon a series of challenges that will either make you a worthy leader, or kill you in the process." Nogard, unsure if the Speaker was serious, began to smile. The Speaker stared blankly at her until the smile fell away.

No longer sharing a common enemy and a strong leader to bind them, infighting between the Tribes began to spread. The prophecy believed that Nogard would be the uniting force to usher in an age of prosperity for the Moonrunners.

Nogard, dismayed by the challenges she faced, began to battle with her destiny. She wanted a brighter future for Primordia, but feared dying a second time.

The council introduced Nogard to Ezekiel, a Moonspeaker that volunteered to mentor her. Ezekiel was tall, dark-skinned, with a blue streak through his black hair. Nogard was relieved to know she wouldn't be alone through The Challenges.

The first challenge put to Nogard was to retrieve a rare flower known as Silphium from the Xendra valley. Nogard, excited at the apparent ease of the task, was quickly informed by Ezekiel that the flower was at the furthest edge of Primordia.

Ezekiel had given Nogard a map showing her how to reach Xendra. Nogard assumed she would be coming but soon realized she would have to face these challenges herself. Not even Aulus could come.

Nogard said farewell to her family, Ezekiel, and Aulus. She set out at first light and packed rations for a week-long journey.

A few days later Nogard reached Xendra only to realize that the flower grew at the very top of the enormous cliff-face flanking the valley. She sat at the bottom staring up in amazement at the task she faced.

Two days sooner than expected, Nogard returned to the council laden with a bag full of Silphium, and dropped it on the floor at their feet. The council, shocked, congratulated Nogard and told her to save one flower for her darkest moment.

A test of strength was needed to prove that Nogard had the physical ability to protect the Moonrunners in times of war. It was suggested by Andarax, The Speaker, that Nogard must remove all the boulders blocking the mountain passageways.

Nogard jumped at the opportunity to inspect the Dragon Cult's Den more closely, and sprinted out of the council room.

Nogard worked for days, as if possessed, never stopping and never asking for help. Every boulder she rolled down the mountain brought her one step closer to knowing the truth about the people that murdered her.

As word spread about Nogard's challenges curious Moonrunners sat in the valley below watching the boulders come streaming down the mountain. For four days the stones fell, until silence.

Dripping in blood from cuts, and panting from exhaustion, Nogard finally made it to the Dragon Cult chamber door, the only known entrance to their lair. She made a feeble attempt to pry the door loose before collapsing.

Concerned about the silence from the mountain, Aulus went to check on Nogard, only to see her motionless body beside the bloodsoaked door.

Once Aulus explained where she was and why, a fire lit in her eyes. Nogard charged at the giant stone door and at the last moment arched her shoulder and crashed through, sending a shockwave through the mountain.

Aulus peered through the entrance to see if Nogard was alive. Once he saw her giggling on the ground, he began to stare at all the wall paintings, symbols, and scrolls that littered the room.

The room was caked in dust, clearly being abandoned after the death of Kalanant. In the centre was a round table made from dragon bones and topped with an obsidian slab.

Thoughts raced through Nogard's mind, trying to piece together everything she saw, with all she knew. There were enormous wall paintings filled with creatures she couldn't recognize, and names that meant nothing to her.

From the first, darkest dawn, forged in hellfire, teeming with demon spawn

A demon unlike the rest, barrel chested, it rose above the horizon's crest

The weak slunk away towards the interior, forever tormented, for they were inferior

Ages past, and their memory was lost, but even victory in war comes at a cost

For millennia they battled until few remained, their magic and lifeblood eventually drained

A prophecy kept safe by a chosen few, an impossible decision, they wish they never knew

Andarax said she must stay alone in the cave for a week to be at peace with her thoughts. Aulus, visibly concerned for her wellbeing, meekly nudged forward a week's worth of rations before leaving.

Tribal leaders, hearing of Nogard's past struggles, were concerned that she was still too unstable mentally to lead the Moonrunners. They needed her to face her demons.

After completing her mental challenge, Nogard emerged from the cave transformed. The week of solitude had given her clarity and purpose.

She addressed the council with newfound confidence, declaring her readiness to lead the Moonrunners into a new age.

The final challenges tested Nogard's leadership abilities. She had to unite wolves from different tribes, resolve disputes, and prove she could make difficult decisions.

Word of her accomplishments spread throughout Primordia, and even the most skeptical elders began to see her potential.

But darkness still lurked in the shadows. Red-cloaked figures had been spotted near the abandoned settlements, remnants of the Dragon Cult that had never truly disappeared.

Nogard knew that her ultimate challenge was still ahead - confronting those who had sacrificed her and uncovering the truth behind the prophecy.

With her training complete, Nogard stood before the assembled tribes. The wolves who had once doubted her now looked upon her with respect and hope.

She raised her voice, calling for unity and vigilance. The Moonrunners had faced humans, dragons, and their own internal strife. Whatever came next, they would face it together.

The platoon formed behind Nogard as she led them toward the abandoned human settlements. It was time to uncover the secrets that had haunted her since her rebirth.

The Dragon Cult's true purpose, the meaning of the prophecy, and Nogard's ultimate destiny awaited in the shadows.

Among the ruins, they found a survivor - a prisoner of the cult who held answers to questions that had plagued the Moonrunners for years.

As Nogard approached, she felt a strange connection to this place, as if the answers she sought were finally within reach.

The story of Nogard's Rising continues...

As the leader of the Moonrunners, Nogard must now navigate the complex politics of the tribes while preparing for threats yet to come.

The prophecy spoke of a chosen one who would protect the pack. Nogard had risen to meet that destiny, but her journey was far from over.