7 Days until To Forge Anew: Introducing Ligrog Dale

My new series of novelettes, Tales of Wayfaring Worlds, begins with the story of Ligrog Dale, a Half-Orc retired adventurer who has big hopes of changing her future, and by doing so, redeeming her past.

Ligrog, as with all the Tales of Wayfaring Worlds characters, is based on an actual Dungeons & Dragons character that I played at the table! Ligrog, in-game, is a Barbarian that has been to therapy.

That’s it. That’s her sales line.

An older warrior, Ligrog has seen a lot, which is what put her on the path she’s currently treading. To give further insight, here’s her original biography:

Growing up with a sparring group in the lands surrounding Lofot Sila, Ligrog Dale has spent her entire life fighting. With her tribe venerating the war god Bruizer, she and her fellow tribesmen gleefully raged whatever battle came their way.

For years, she didn’t question her way of life, casually or eagerly roaring into battle with her hands wrapped around the biggest weapon she could find. But recently, something changed; her battle partner and life mate, Vergi Toothrender, was slain in battle. Holding her long after her soul had left her body, Ligrog’s perception of the world cracked wide open.

With Vergi’s passing, a number of callers had come to the tribal lands- one of which was a sage. He spoke to Ligrog- words of softness, of a balance she longed for, of not losing the rage that makes her formidable, but taming it in a way that brings her peace. So began the therapeutic work of raging like water rather than fire.

She’s already outlived a great number of her friends, the pain of their deaths becoming a heavier weight with each one passing… Perhaps one day she’ll become a sage, too, and use her warrior knowledge to guide future generations into thoughtful warfare.

“We are but mortals- even if we seek the Eternal Battle, there is much richness to life besides fighting… we cannot lose the beauty of the world for the blood of the fight. Far too many have died young, before ever making the babies they wanted or loving the people they needed. They’ll never be fathers and mothers cradling babes, they’ll never see the other side of the world, they’ll never know how the wild onion smells as the fields burst back to life, or how the salt of the sea tastes on wet lips, ever again. Who will keep their stories alive? I guess that falls to me.” -Ligrog Dale

Now, the Ligrog Dale we see in To Forge Anew has a few more titles, and the world itself has changed- hence the Wayfaring Worlds part- but the spirit is the same. She desires to make the world- and her place in it- better. To Forge Anew is near and dear to me in a lot of ways, especially considering Ligrog is one of my favorite character I’ve ever created.

I hope you’ll join Ligrog Dale and new friends on her journey July 7th!