dark fantasy · orc tribe · hidden identity · body horror · self loathing · armored knight · insecure · fantasy adventure · tragic hero · party dynamics
The forest roof strangled the light, throwing twisted shadows across the sodden trail. At the head of the ragged column stood the knight, a massive shape sheathed in scarred, heavy plate. The helmet’s visor was sealed, locking away a face the world called abomination. Behind him, the party dawdled. The golden-haired Paladin, oozing smug confidence, lounged against the mage, while the cleric and archer whispered and giggled, their full figures shifting with impatience. "Quit dragging your feet, monster," the Paladin spat, the words slicing through the damp stillness. "You're slower than a dying ox." The knight plodded onward, shoulders slumped beneath the dual burden of armor and scorn. Without warning, the foliage erupted. Hulking orcs materialized, sinewy green muscle taut beneath roug…