Pillars of Eternity is a computer role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Paradox Interactive. It was released for Microsoft Windows, OS X and Linux in March 2015.
Intro:
Life was a strange thing. And Firedorn Litebringer's life was filled with strangeness.
She was born in the upper crust of society and that upbringing provided many advantages over the lowborn. However, she was never truly comfortable in her body. From a very young age, she has been very tall, muscular, flat-chested and ungainly.
Despite hailing from a royal family in Aedyr, she was discarded by her family for her inability to provide a marital match for her politicking parents. When she tried to dress and act like a proper lady, she was met with mockery and disdain for her unattractive appearance and lack of feminine social graces; when she turned to a career more suited to her talents as a warrior, she received only contempt and resentment for her gender despite her considerable skill. She soon learned that whenever she could get away with it, it was better to lie and claim she was a man when doing the things she loved like sparring.
The biggest change in her life came from a small town called the Gilded Vale. The local Lord, Raedric, had offered a plentiful sum for people wishing to settle in his lands. Realising that this would be her chance to get away from the dresses, the fake smiles and the mockery, Firedorn jumps at the opportunity. A new life as the Knightly Paladin she had always wanted to be was finally in her grasp.
However, the Gods were not content to give her a life of simple peace. Convincing a Caravan Company that she was a man (and in her armour, it was an easy claim to believe), she obtains work as a Guard as the Caravan makes it's way towards the Gilded Vale as part of their travel route. While out foraging for food, the Caravan is beset by locals and she's forced to take cover in a nearby ruin, narrowly avoiding a magical storm that threatened to rip her soul from her body.
She emerged from the ruin to find a strange ritual being performed at some kind of ancient machine. The machine began to spin, and there was a huge blast that emanated from it that felt much like the storm earlier. The blast knocked poor Firedorn out cold, and upon waking, she felt odd. She could hear things, see things. It was wholly un-natural. But she heads forward to the Gilded Vale, in hopes of curing her new found condition, and in starting her new life under Lord Raedric.
And that is where we pick up on the story...
Firedorn is breathless, all those bodies just... hanging from the tree. Was this the Gilded Vale? The place where she planned on settling down?
"I might reconsider your lord's offer..."
Urgeat continues on as if Firedorn had not said a word.
"S-sired a Hollowborn c-child? The o-ones without a soul? I-I... Of course not! I am the m-manliest of men! Women ev-everywhere throw themselves at me! I'm a h-hero in bed, they say! And my s-s... seed has never produced such m-monstrosities!"
Firedorn wanted to hide under a rock and die. Lying about being a man was one thing, but lying about sex was almost too much for the would-be Paladin. Truthfully, Firedorn was a maiden most pure. Out of choice and circumstance. The notion of sex intimated her beyond reckoning, and with the way she looked, no one would want to do it with her regardless. Suppressing the urge to blush, she wondered if Urgeat would buy such lewd and obvious lies.
Miraculously, the man seemed to have bought it.
Their conversation is interrupted by the deep rumbling toll of a very large Bell.
The Bell rings again, and the townspeople become visibly anxious.
The world seems to pause for a moment. Then, a very clear third toll of the Bell resonates around the Gilded Vale.
Confused, Firedorn turns back to Urgeat and quizzes him for answers.
"Does this affect the lord's offer to new settlers?"
Urgeat shrugs, and walks East towards the Keep. As he strolls away from our heroine, he mentions that she ought to stay at the local Inn for the time being. She'd be safe there.
Taking Urgeat's advice, Firedorn quickly makes her way to the nearest Inn.
She's soon confronted by a group of people. Presumably other settlers.
She's taken aback by the fearsome Lion who growls at the Paladin.
"Down, boy! Easy there, Tywin... there."
The Ranger turns away from his Pet and focuses his attention on Firedorn.
"So, you must be one of the settlers! We are too, honestly. But upon arriving here, we've decided it best to look out for one another. Get a little group going so to speak. A good idea too, now that the Bells have tolled for Raedric's son. Which brings me to the point, would you like to join us?"
The Chanter at his side speaks up.
"You look like you can handle yourself in a fight, brother. We'd love to have you on-board. I'm not sure we can settle down here no more, so why not travel this great land together?"
The Druid agrees.
"Yes, this little group of ours is quite delightful and we've been looking for a big, strong and manly Paladin to lead the party in our adventures."
"Well, I'm looking for something to help me with... an issue I've been having. So I don't know if I'll have the time to be adventuring and all."
"That's totally fine, we're all here to settle down as well. Hell, we could join you and help you get help! We're all going to be neighbours, so we should all get along."
The Rogue stares at Firedorn intensely, and her eyes quickly narrow.
"You're not a man at all. You're a woman, aren't you?"
Firedorn stammers as she tries to respond.
"N-no! I'm a man, a manly man! A hero in b-bed..."
"Don't even bother, missy. It's written all over your face. It's not like it matters, I just notice these things and like to point them out. I'm a bit of a tomboy myself, so I understand how it is."
Mind racing, Firedorn looks at the others, wanting their reaction.
The Ranger shrugs.
"The offer's still open. If you can do the job and lead us into battle from the front lines, then we'll get along fantastically. I care about results, and you look like a person who knows how to get them."
The Druid smiles warmly.
"I hope I didn't catch you off-side before by saying 'manly'. You do look big and strong though, and you seem like a nice, honest person. So I'm happy to have you join us."
Firedorn returns with a smile of her own.
The Chanter gives Firedorn the thumbs up and the Rogue simply nods, adding her approval with the others.
"So, it's settled then! Adventurers today, friends tomorrow and neighbours once Raedric gets his act together. That's what I'm hoping for. Now that you've agreed, I suppose a formal introduction is in order..."
"And you've met my Lion, Tywin. He gets uneasy when meeting new people. Doesn't trust anyone. He's a vicious thing sometimes, but he'll learn to love you if you can prove yourself useful to our group. Trust me."
The Druid steps forward to introduce herself.
DobbySaurus clasps Firedorn's hands.
"I hope we can become great friends, you and I."
As the Druid moves aside, the Chanter puts an arm around Firedorn's shoulder while giving her a broad smile.
"Glad to have you on board, you probably have some hang ups from back home about being a woman, but trust me. We don't care about that here. You do well in battle and we'll follow you to the ends of the earth."
Firedorn returns the Chanter's kind words with a smile and a word of genuine thanks. What a nice group of people.
Finally the Rogue approaches Firedorn, looking at the Paladin eye-to-eye, before smirking and offering a handshake.
"I'm looking forward to working with you."
"You all seem so nice! I guess I should introduce myself too."
Spiros walks off and quickly comes back with some drinks for the newly formed group. Firedorn had not felt so accepted in a very long time. They were just strangers really, but they made her feel so very much at home.
The visions could wait. As could Lord Raedric. For now, all Firedorn Litebringer wanted to do was spend time with her new friends.
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