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cxulegion · 2 years ago

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This is a short story about one of my D&D characters called Bhari. They're a gnoll priest (gameplay-wise, a monk though) and the story takes place prior to the upcoming campaign they're featured in.

I'm still a bit of an amateur at writing, so I apologize for anything that sounds clunky and am very open to feedback!

A brief summary on their background:

Bhari used to be a vagrant plunderer. After suffering critical injuries, they were saved by a wandering priest, they followed and learned a lot of things, including (but not limited to) languages, faith as well as civilized behavior. Eventually their ways parted, Bhari was left behind at a port town on the Western coast of the continent and lives there with the local residents now.

An artwork of Bhari ⬆ Source in Alt Text.

Some footnotes on appearing characters:

Sister Anita: a young dwarven initiate at the Chapel. She is fond of animals and stained glass windows, but rather shy around others.

Sister Robertha: a middle aged human priestess, who is very strict about rules. Short tempered, but still kind and compassionate… mostly…

Father Herman: an old human priest who manages the Chapel. He wishes to retire once the current disciples take on the next generation.

Claudia: The baker's daughter. She's very timid and clumsy, but always gives it her all. She's still in her teens.

Katharina von Dräger: Youngest child of the Dräger noble house, she has two older brothers. A few years older than Claudia.

---

A gust of wind carrying the smell of the ocean, the soft rustling of the grass, the unwavering formation of the mountains, the chirping of the birds. Yes - at this moment, Bhari felt the essence of everything around them. If only for a single moment, they were one with their surroundings. A fragment of nature's peace and tranquility, once again reminding them of its beauty. They take a deep breath and return to their regular, worldly senses, before opening their eyes to embrace the first rays of the sun. They exhale, slowly get up and look at the port town neighboring the plateau they've been meditating on. The first chimneys started to smoke and street lanterns were given rest. A smile formed on their usually rather stern face. They couldn't help it. It is, after all, small and quaint things like these that make life so beautiful and worth fighting for. A stretch and a yawn later, they tighten their sash and head back to the chapel.

As they enter, they're greeted by a bearded, small old man in the hallway. “If you always get up this early anyways, why not use the time to help us instead of wandering off somewhere?”

“Oh shut ya trap, y'old fart. Ya just don't get it.” Bhari responds lazily, yawning again and moving past the priest. He just sighs, having more or less expected that reaction. “You really will never change no matter what I say, huh?”

They scratch their throat and make a goofy, sleepy expression. “Don't think so, sorry”. After opening the door to their sleeping chamber, they suddenly turn around and ask “Oh right, I’ll be headin’ to town later, do ya need anythin’?”

“What do you need to go to the town for?” “That's none’a yer biscuit, old fart. Do ya need anythin' or ya don't?”

Noticing their annoyed tone, the priest gives up. “No. But Sister Anita mentioned we are low on vinegar yesterday. See if you can find some.”

“Vinegar, huh? Sure, lemme know if there's anythin' else before I go.” With that, they enter their room, wash themself and change into a more casual outfit. They squat down and take a look at the mirror before putting on their glasses and heading back out. ‘This stupid chapel really is way too freakin’ small for me’, they grumble. “Oi, do y'all need any stuff from town?” they yell into the kitchen, sticking the head through the door. Unexpectedly, someone smacks their nose with a book. They flinch back with a yelp, “Don't scream in the morning, you buffoon. People are still sleeping.” “Sorry Sis Robertha,” they apologize, “but did ya really need to hit me for that?”

She huffs, “Like I need to hear that from you of all people, ‘Brawling Bloodhound’. You really ought to stop doing that if you want the townsfolk to be less afraid of you.”

“But ya know that learnin’ it the hard way works bes-”

“Exactly,” she cuts in with a sarcastically playful tone, bonking them on the head with the book again. “Stop yelling in the morning.”

“Okay, okay I got it, boss,” they whimper in defeat, “but did you-”

“Yeah, yeah. Hold on,” she puts the book on the table and writes something on a small piece of paper. “Here is a shopping list. Herman told me you might pass by, so I already checked the inventory of the pantry. The vinegar he told you about is on the list already.”

Bhari nods. “Thanks, boss.”

“You goddamn-,” she picks up her book again and starts chasing them out of the kitchen. “STOP TALKING TO ME LIKE THIS”

“Oi, what wazzat 'bout not screamin' in the morning?!”

“I. DON'T. CARE. GET OUT OF HERE”

---

Having escaped Robertha's wrath, Bhari leaves the building and heads for the town. By now the sun has risen enough for everyone to get about their day. They greet the town guards with a nod as they enter the still sleepy, empty city and check the shopping list. Their first stop is… not supposed to be the bakery, but they just can't resist the smell of fresh bread.

“Mornin’ master, what're the high quality goods of the day?” they say loudly to a middle aged man tending to a window counter in a modest building, seemingly full of bread.

“Oh, hello Bhari. How convenient. I just made some dog- I mean, beef-carrot cakes.”

“I heard that, god damnit,” they say, but still stuff one of the small cakes put in front of them in their mouth. Yes, these definitely are dog treats. As humiliating as it is, it's still tasty, so Bhari doesn't care too much. They close their eyes and wag their tail in delight.

A few more minutes of this scene pass, as the plate of cakes gradually goes empty. After eating the last one, they clean their snout with a napkin, clear their throat, turn away as if holding back tears, nudge their glasses and give the baker a dramatic thumbs up.

“Ya nailed it, boss, as always”

“And you're making a scene in the shop. Again,” he shakes his head and massages his temples. “Well, that's all I have for you today. Do you need anything else for the other church folks?”

“Oh yeah,” they remembered the list again. “I guess nothin’ from here today, no. But…” despite the very casual interaction, they noticed something was off. “Somethin's troublin' ya, master, innit?”

“Perceptive as always, aren't you…” the baker sighs with a smile. “It’s just a bit of a family drama, no need to worry about it.”

“Hell ye there is,” Bhari immediately retorts, with a serious, proud, even, expression. “It’s my duty as a priest, nay, as a decent person, to at least try’n help out those ‘round me if I can. I won’t force ya to tell me, but really if it's anythin’ I can help ya with don’t be hesitatin’ to ask, yeah?”

Still hesitant to trouble a customer with his private problems, he thinks it over for another minute.

“Well, you see…”

---

“What is the meaning of this, Claudia?” a wealthy looking young woman surrounded by personal guards and attendants raised her voice towards the girl on the ground in front of her. “I-I am sorry, Lady Dräger, I-”

“Enough. I am not hearing any more of your excuses.” she turns around with a huff and fans her face. "I can’t believe this. First you damage my property, then when I am generous enough to let you repay this debt with work, you not only do it poorly but also show up late?”

“I r-really am sor-”

“Dearie,” she interrupts the sobbing girl's pleas with a cold, callous tone. “You said you were sorry when you ruined my dress. You said you were sorry when you messed up maid work. One would think that when you make this many mistakes with every step you take you would actually pay some attention in the future, try harder to make sure not to do it again, especially to the same person. Yet you once more dare disappointing me once more by being late today.”

The girl is now shaking and sobbing, unable to even say anything in response.

With a bitter, now almost hissing voice she continues. “After all my generosity, this ungrateful behavior is all you care to deliver in return. You truly are a disgrace, even for a peasant.”

“Hey, missy.” Bhari arrives at the scene, scratching their neck while looking somewhere into the distance. “Don’t ya think y’are bein’ a tad too harsh on her?”

“How is this any of your business?” Lady Dräger asks, dumbfounded by someone talking back to her in this manner, “Who even is this guy?” she asks her personal attendants. They collectively respond with a shrug.

“It don’t matter who I am, this just ain't how ya should be talkin’ to no one. And any good person should'a talked back to ya,” they shift their gaze to meet hers. Their eyes were serious and piercing, their words stern and assertive. Although Bhari has not directly insulted her, she can tell she is getting scolded. Her blood starts boiling, but before she can release her rage they continue speaking. “It’s fine tellin’ others they hurt ya, it’s fine tellin’ them they made mistakes, but y’are crossin’ a line here. To me it looks like what y’are doin’ here is not ‘bout money or tryin’ to teach anyone a lesson, ya harass this lil’ pup just to have someone to get mad at don’t ya, missy?”

The woman has a hard time keeping her composure, her lips curl into a mad smile. “Crossing a line, you say? Do YOU even know who I am?!”

“Katharina von Dräger, heir of house Dräger, the noble family overseein’ this region, yeah?”

Something inside her snaps. This person is not merely ignorant of her identity and status or too stupid to understand who they picked a fight with. They simply do not care.

“Guards…” the platoon of people behind her tenses up as she looks at them and points at Bhari, “arrest this bastard IMMEDIATELY.”

To her confusion, nothing happens. The guards seem hesitant to step forward. Having expected the gnoll she was pointing at to run away, she can hear them stepping closer instead. Now, a different emotion springs forth besides anger and confusion.

“Ya see, missy, I'm in a great mood today.”

Dread.

She can feel something soft and warm pressing against her index finger. She turns her head back around, like a mechanical doll, now trembling, and looks up at the gargantuan gnoll right in front of her.

“So,” they crack their knuckles, “I’ll let ya off easy this time, yeah?”

They flick a finger against her forehead, which sends her flying backwards onto the ground and her attendants into panic.

“I'm tryin’ for Sis Robertha’s sake to stop parentin’ brats with my fists around town, so I’ll give ya some of that ‘gratitude’ y’are askin’ for if ya. Just. Stop. Makin’ me, yeah?”

“S-She passed out… Someone, call a doctor!!”

“A noisy bunch y’all are, it’s just a lil’ jolt to the forehead, she’ll live.” Bhari rolls their eyes and by chance catches the girl from earlier looking at them. They exhale heavily and return her a tired smile. “C’mon, let's go home.”

They offer her a hand, but Claudia skitters back a bit. She doesn't recognize the regular of her father's store and is still processing what just happened.

Bhari seems puzzled, “Are yer legs givin’ ya trouble? Ya want a ride instead?”

They pick her up and put her on their back for a piggyback ride.

“H-HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” she squeals.

“WHOA,” they instinctively let her slide to the ground to cover their ears. Fortunately Claudia manages to land on her feet. “Ya can’t just be screamin’ so close to my ears, pup,” Bhari cringes.

“Ah, I-I am so s-sorry, are you okay?!”

“NO,” they pout.

“W-well it is your own fault for just randomly picking up strangers, dork…”

“Looks like ya can bark back after all then, huh?” they are still visibly in pain, but there is a hint of amusement in their voice. “Yer pa told me to go’n see what’s up with ya, told me ya been sneakin' out for weeks now without tellin’ him what's up.”

They turn around and see that the commotion is slowly calming down. “Alright, I think ya know the way back so ya don't even need to hold my hand or nothin' if ya don't trust me, but that peacock's probably gonna rise’n shine soon, so let's just get ya home and talk there, yeah?”

“Y-yeah…”

---

Claudia, who was supposed to be escorted home by Bhari, somehow ended up following them around while they are doing their shopping around town instead.

As they are heading for the commercial area, she nervously asks, “S-so why are we making all these detours exactly, s-sir?”

“Well, we were gonna have a chat anyway, figured we might as well just get my shoppin’ over with while we’re at it,” Bhari responds in a merry tone. They're looking at Robertha’s list and stop in front of a vegetable stall. It appears to be high noon now, so big lines formed in front of mostly every other stall as the bustling town business reached its peak.

“R-right.”

“I mean I asked ya if it was fine to take a stroll. If ya’d prefer goin’ home right now, that's no big deal to me either.”

“Oh, no no. That is okay.”

“So, since ya seem to have calmed down now, why don't ya actually start diggin' me for some answers?”

“Huh…?”

“I mean, I figured ya’d be askin’ me the questions. Ya don’t seem to recognize me, either.”

“N-no, I do not, sir…”

“Then,” they turn away from the vegetable stall they have been browsing and offer a handshake to Claudia. “Let’s maybe start with an introduction. Ya can just call me Bhari. I’m a priest from the lil’ chapel by the mountains.”

“You are a p-priest?!” she exclaims in surprise and reluctantly accepts the handshake.

“Yeah, I get that often," they make a wry expression and return their attention to the vegetables. "Been a regular at yer old man’s place for a while now, but I don’t think I've really been meetin' ya that often.”

“I suppose not… So, you said my father asked you to look after me?” “Hmm, sorta?” They pick out some tomatoes and bell peppers and exchange money with the merchant. “He told me he's been worryin’ for his lil’ angel's wellbein’. Since he said ya haven't been home much lately and always got back so exhausted, I offered to check up on ya, to make sure y’aren’t in any trouble.”

“I see… T-then, how did you find me?”

“Pup, don’t underestimate a gnoll’s nose,” the two continue to the next stop on the shopping list. A thought crosses Bhari’s mind, but they shake their head and just start looking for the items they need again.

“H-huh?” Claudia has a realization. “But wait… i-if you are a priest, then will this all not cause you trouble?”

“Mmm…” Bhari ponders for a moment, “well, ya see, the locals here know me. And so do her parents. I don’t like soundin’ like I think of myself as someone important, but I am confident if she tells ‘em I picked a fight with her they'd assume I did so for a reason.” They smirk. “Ya probably noticed, even her own gang was reluctant to intervene.”

“Now that you mention it…” she did wonder why that was. “Though, I still want to know, what makes you think she was in the wrong there?”

“I said so earlier, no decent person should be talkin’ in this manner to another.”

“B-but she was right with most of what she said, I really did mess up everything from the start to the end.”

“That don’t matter, girl,” they wrap some herbs and flowers in a sheet of paper. “People always have to show some basic level of respect.”

They look in Claudia's eyes. “I don’t know what exactly ya did to her. But the way she spoke to ya, that’s how some talk to a wretched slave. And that's not somethin’ I wanna have in my town. Be it a noble or anyone else.”

They check the list. “Almost done, just the general store left for me. Is there anythin’ you’d want?”

“N-no, quite frankly I expected to still be working until late in the evening today, haha…” she smiles awkwardly.

“I asked ya if ya want anythin’, not if ya had plans.”

“Oh, sorry…” she looks away and rubs her elbow. “N-no, no I am fine.”

Bhari is displeased by that answer, but accepts it. Both of them get moving.

“Actually, may I ask ya somethin’, too?”

“Yes, of course?”

“So what exactly did happen between ya two?” They turn into a small alley, a shortcut to the central square of the town.

“Oh, that…” she tries to laugh again, but Bhari can still feel the unhappiness in her voice. “Lady Dräger was on a walk through the commercial area, not far from here actually, and I was delivering an urgent order for dad. I did not notice her as I was running around a corner, so…”

“Ya crashed into her?"

“Y-yeah. And to make matters worse, I was carrying a grape jelly pie. As she said, I did ruin her dress.”

“I see, and then what? She told ya to work for her to pay off the damage?”

“More or less, yes. As you heard it did not go too well. I was just not cut out for the work she was giving me. And, well, today I showed up late.”

“And ya didn’t discuss any of this with yer old man?”

“No, I’m sure he would have tried paying for it. We do not really have that much spare money, since we are just a small bakery, and,” she shows a defeated frown, “It was my responsibility anyways. But I still managed to mess that up. Now I am sure they will come for us.”

Bhari pats her on the shoulder as they enter the central square. “Pup, the Drägers can afford replacin’ that without any heartache. That brat of theirs, she kind of enjoys messin’ with people, ya see. Makes her feel like she’s important by teachin’ the people grovelin’ at her feet life lessons.”

“Wh-what?! Are you saying she, she… she…” Claudia slows down and stares at Bhari, expecting them to finish her sentence. They, however, return only a puzzled look and silence. They come to a full stop, she turns red from embarrassment, fixes her eyes to the ground and quietly finishes the sentence “...did this to me just for her entertainment?” “Yeah, ya don’t think yer the only one she has been doin’ this stuff to, do ya?” The two start walking again for a while, passing by miscellaneous traveling merchants and adventurers as they enter the busier main plaza of Kanhaven in awkward silence.

“Look,” Bhari continues, “I’m not sayin’ ya didn’t do nothin’ wrong, in fact I think it’s worth admirin’ how ya wanna own up to it. But also, ya gotta learn some self-respect and stand up for yaself. Ya should demand that people be as nice to ya as y’are to them.”

“But she is a noble, how could I possibly say anything back to her?”

“That’s a problem, of course, yeah. But it ain’t what was puttin’ ya down back there, was it? Ya felt like ya deserved this, and what I’ve been tellin’ ya is that no one ever does.”

They finally arrive at the general store. Bhari briefly greets the store owner and browses the shelves while Claudia is lost in thought. She understands where the priest was coming from, even if their methods seem unusual, strange even, to her. But at the same time, she was getting mildly annoyed by the way they spoke to her like a child, which, ironically, made her more stubborn.

"Sir Priest."

They pause as they are picking out a stack of paper and ink. "Hm? What's the matter, pup?"

"Could you please stop calling me that?" she says in a sharp tone, completely forgetting what she was actually going to say. Bhari reflexively flinches back, still remembering Robertha's lash out from earlier.

"S-sorry 'bout that, ma'am…" they wince.

"C-come on, now. Can you just call me by my name or something?!" other people around the store started noticing the commotion, the girl turned beet red from embarrassment.

Nervously, they respond "Now that I am thinkin' of it, yer old man never told me, i don't think."

"It is Claudia, damnit," she pouts.

"Gotcha, Claudia Damnit. Nice to meet ya."

They extend their arm for yet another handshake, but she slams a random book square in their face and quickly walks out of the store, fuming.

Bhari yelps. More people stare at them, but they don't pay much mind to it. "Is everything alright?" the clerk asks.

"Uh, I think so? Sorry 'bout that, sir."

"Oh, it's no problem," the clerk lets out a sigh of relief. "Though, I of course would greatly appreciate it if you kept your fights someplace where it doesn't hurt my business, Bhari."

"Oh come on, it's not like I broke anythin'!?"

"Today you didn't, no."

"It's not my fault those bastards decided to hole up in here thinkin' the same thing." they mutter quietly with a growl before they finish checking off the last item from the shopping list and turn to leave.

"Hey,"

Bhari barely manages to spin around in time to catch a paper bag with something round and hard in it.

"On the house. Now go and make up with that lassie." the clerk says nonchalantly, not even meeting Bhari's confused eyes with his own.

“Uh, thank ya, sir?” They nod and hurry to leave the store.

---

Fortunately, it seems like Claudia did not run away. They see her sulking on the sidewalk not far away from the store, pushing around some stones with a stick.

“Hey,”

“Are you done doing your shopping?” She sounds distant.

“Yeah, but what got into ya all of a sudden there?”

“It is just,” she exhales, “I don’t know, and I am sorry about that. I guess I am just… emotionally burned out today from all of… this.”

“This?”

“Yeah. This.” She makes some open gesture with her arms. Bhari doesn’t really understand what she means by that, but just nods regardless. “I see.”

They open the bag they received from the clerk and discover that it contains two candied apples. “Ya want one?” they offer one of them to her.

“No, I am fine.” Bhari puts the apple back in the bag and thinks for a minute.

“Ya know what? The time’s just right, so let’s actually go one more place before I bring ya home.” They offer her their hand again. She reluctantly takes it and they help her get up. A while passes as the two just silently walk through the now emptying streets of the quaint port city. It’s not quite evening yet, but with the winter solstice approaching the sun was already starting to set in the late afternoon.

“Where exactly are we heading?”

“Just wait and see, trust me ya’ll love it.”

Bhari leads her up to the cliffside they were meditating on in the morning. The two reach the place right as the sun meets the horizon across the ocean. They sit down in the grass and pat the ground, offering Claudia to do the same.

“That’s my favorite place. I like comin’ here for the sunrises and sunsets. Though the sunsets tend to be prettier.” They offer her the candied apple again.

“N-”

“Just take it, Claudia Damnit, ya haven’t eaten anythin’ all day.”

She just releases a noise of exhaustion and accepts the apple. “Please. It is Claudia. Just Claudia.”

The two eat their apples and quietly watch the sunset until it’s almost the end of dusk. Finally, Claudia breaks the silence.

“Say, who really are you?”

“Mmmh?”

“Well, you have to be more than you let on, right? I do not see a ‘priest’ like this every day. What is your story Bhari?”

“Hmmm…” they rub their chin. “Well, I dunno what to tell ya. Yeah, I’m probably not carved outta the same wood as the other church folks but this still just feels like the place I am meant to be, ya know? My past, now that’s kind of a long story, so how ‘bout we talk ‘bout that some other time, yeah?”

“You promise there will be another time, then?”

“Sure. Don’t see no reason why not,” they shrug.

“Then let us go home,” she hugs herself and rubs her arms, “it is kind of starting to get cold.”

Bhari helps her up again. They start heading back down to the city together.

“Say, why did you decide to bring me here?”

“Well, it just felt like ya could use some calmin’ down and this is just somethin’ that always helps me. I don’t really got no deeper motives than that.”

“...thanks. I guess it worked. Sort of,” she smiles.

Bhari escorts her back home and they see some young wizards light up small magic lanterns around the town as the darkness of the evening sets in.

“Look, I am thinkin’ ya should handle the stuff with yer old man on yer own. I uh… actually got places to be, didn’t expect the town trip to go on for so long, heh..”

“Oh, that is okay. But remember, you promised.”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t ya worry. If ya ever wanna chat, ya know where to find me, too.”

After both of them wave and part ways, Bhari dashes up the hill back to the chapel, sweating buckets knowing exactly what is about to happen.

---

As they approach, they already see Sister Robertha standing in the door frame of their humble abode.

“H-Hi Siss,” Bhari closes their eyes and manages a nervous smile, still out of breath from the run.

“You’re late.”

“I’m sorry, I kinda got into a situation.”

“Again?” she glares daggers at them.

“NO, NO, NO, I swear I didn’t start brawlin’ with no one” they drop to their knees and bow.

“Then what in All-Father’s name did you do this time?”

“Well-,”

“You know what, we will talk about this later. Everyone is waiting for dinner and we need to start cooking. Bring all the groceries to the pantry.”

They release a sigh of relief, but just as they are about to get back up,

“OW?!” Robertha tugs on their ear. “And I am not going to let you off the hook this time.”

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