LORE PAGE: The Separation - ההפרדה

🏰 The Judgment at Krangard

The Failed Summoning

When the summoning ritual concluded and the light faded, two figures stood on the platform: Alex, radiating heroic power, and Lexi, looking small and confused beside him. The crowd's cheers died as Advisor Alric raised his crystal wand to measure the newcomers.

Alex's reading blazed with golden light—strength, constitution, charisma all far beyond mortal limits. The Chosen Hero, at last.

But when Alric turned the wand toward Lexi, it flickered weakly. The numbers appeared impossibly low: STR 2, DEX 3, CON 1. The crowd murmured. Alric frowned, recalibrated, measured again. The same result.

"This... cannot be correct," Alric muttered, loud enough for the assembled nobles to hear. "The ritual should not have brought her. She is—"

He paused, unwilling to say it aloud in front of the King. But everyone understood: Lexi was a mistake. A defect. A failure.

😔 Alex's Dilemma

Alex insisted she stay. "We were summoned together! She's my friend—we have to do this together!"

King Aldren, weary and desperate, spoke gently but firmly: "Hero Alex, we honor your loyalty. But the Kingdom needs you at your strongest. Training with our elite warriors, strategizing with our generals, preparing for the war ahead. This... girl cannot keep pace. She will slow you down. Endanger you. We cannot afford that risk."

Alric added, his voice carefully neutral: "The unit-bond ritual ties you together, yes. But it does not require proximity. She will be safe, cared for, and given purpose elsewhere. You will sense if she is in danger. That is enough."

Alex argued. He pleaded. But the decision was made.

Lexi, standing silent through it all, felt the weight of every pitying glance, every whispered doubt. She had always known she wasn't special. Now an entire kingdom confirmed it.

💔 The Farewell

The next morning, Alex was taken to the Royal Barracks to begin training with the Hero Support Corps and the kingdom's most elite warriors. His days would be filled with strategy sessions, combat drills, and preparation for the inevitable march toward Maldor's Fortress.

Lexi was given a small room in the palace servants' quarters. She was told to "rest and recover" from the summoning. In truth, they were waiting for an excuse to send her away quietly.

When Alex found her the evening before her departure, he looked exhausted—armor half-removed, dirt on his face, but eyes still bright with determination.

"Lexi, I'm sorry. I tried—"

"It's okay," she interrupted, forcing a smile. "They're right. You need to train with people who can actually help. I'd just... get in the way."

"That's not true." His voice was firm, but she could see the doubt in his eyes. He'd spent the day among warriors who could bench-press boulders. Next to them, what could someone with STR 2 possibly contribute?

"Alex, it's fine. Really." She looked down. "Maybe this is better. You do what you're meant to do. I'll... figure something out."

He gripped her shoulders. "I'll come find you. As soon as I can. I promise."

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

The next morning, a wagon carried her south toward Ardena. Alex didn't see her off—he was already in the training yard, surrounded by instructors, learning to wield the Blessed Longsword.

The unit-bond tugged faintly at his chest as the distance grew. But the sensation faded into background noise, easy to ignore amid the clash of steel and shouts of drill sergeants.

🌾 Arrival in Ardena

Three days later, Lexi arrived in Ardena. The wagon driver barely spoke to her during the journey. When they reached the quiet frontier town, he pointed toward The Broken Key Inn and said, "Lady Sivara knows you're coming. She'll find you work."

And then he left.

Lexi stood in the middle of the dirt road, a small pack slung over her shoulder, staring at a town that didn't know her and didn't care. No grand halls. No destiny. No Alex.

Just a quiet, forgotten place where "failed" Heroes were sent to disappear.

She took a breath, adjusted her glasses, and walked toward the inn.

This is where her story truly begins.

🎯 What Lexi Doesn't Know Yet

She is not weak. She is an Anomaly—unmeasurable, unpredictable, vastly more powerful than anyone realizes.
The measurements were not wrong because she is defective. They were wrong because she cannot be measured.
Advisor Alric suspects something is strange about her readings and has begun quietly researching Anomalies.
Maldor's Anomaly Hunters monitor the kingdom's summoning records. When they review Lexi's file, they will see the contradictions—and they will come looking.
Alex does sense her through the bond. But as he grows stronger and more confident in his role as the Hero, that distant pull becomes easier to ignore. Until something goes wrong.

📖 Story Hooks for Gameplay

Starting in Ardena:

Lexi needs to find work, shelter, and a reason to stay in a world that doesn't want her
Small tasks (lifting cargo, helping at the inn) reveal glimpses of her hidden strength
Locals begin to notice something strange about "the failed Hero"

Building Toward Conflict:

Rumors reach Ardena: Alex has won his first major battle, celebrated as the realm's savior
Lexi feels the bond tug—pride mixed with loneliness
A merchant arrives with strange questions, too interested in "the other one who was summoned"
The first Anomaly Hunter makes contact: "You were never weak. They lied to you. Come with us."

The Breaking Point:

Alex is ambushed. The bond SCREAMS through the distance—he's in mortal danger
Lexi, despite believing she's useless, runs toward Krangard
On the road, she faces her first real fight—and discovers what she truly is

💬 Key Themes

Loneliness vs. Belonging: Lexi was always "the friend of the Hero," never the Hero herself. Now she's alone.
Hidden Worth: The world judged her and found her lacking. But they were wrong.
Separation & Reunion: The bond ties her to Alex, but distance and doubt strain it. When will they reunite? As equals, or as Hero and burden?
Manipulation: Maldor offers belonging. The Kingdom offers rejection. Who will Lexi trust when she learns the truth?

🗣️ GM Notes

Pacing: Let Lexi experience quiet, mundane life in Ardena for at least one session before introducing supernatural elements. Let her feel ordinary before revealing she's anything but.
Alex's Absence: Use the bond sparingly—brief flashes of his emotions, distant and distracted. He's not ignoring her deliberately; he's overwhelmed by his own role.
Foreshadowing: Drop hints through NPC dialogue: "Heard the Hero's doing great up north. Shame about the other one." / "Measurements can be wrong, you know. Magic's funny like that."
Revelation: The moment Lexi realizes her strength should be earned, not given. A moment of desperation, need, or defiance—not a sudden exposition dump.