Dorian Leafthorn's page

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Turlan’s Wood, the southern edge of the Ashwood Forest, home too many; this is where I used to call home. A village not far from the wood’s edge near Skull River called Raviline. The Raviline people prided them selves in their deep elven heritage and my mother, Jastra, was not much different, Jastra was a fair elf maiden, daughter of an elven merchant, she was much more tolerant of other races than many in the village.

Jastra traveled from time to time with my grandfather along with her sister Jessum, the two sisters were inseparable one would never be seen without the other. During their journeys into the plains from Biston down to Korvosa, my grandfather would contact a man by the name of Torack, a ranger guide from Baslwief. The more Torack journeyed with them the more Jastra was fascinated by him, Jessum often voiced her objection to such a union between elf and human but Jastra would hear nothing of it.

Jastra was blinded in her growing love for Torack despite objections from Jessum; and now grandfather voiced his objections as well. Jastra and Torack would meet secretly to decide what can be done to convince the family and the elders of the Village of Raviline that the two should wed, but because Torack was not elf the elders objected and unless all living members of Jastra’s family agreed to a union Torack would be forced to leave the village and Jastra would be forced to a prearranged union. Jessum agreed but grandfather would not and they were the only two that were living in the village from whom consent was required.

Several days passed and despite Jastra’s constant asking and Torack’s pleading grandfather would not agree saying that he would never have the blood of a Brindale tainted by human blood. This infuriated Torack but Jastra kept him calm and said it would be best that Torack leave the village for a few days.

During Torack’s leave grandfather became ill and died, mystery surrounded his death but it was his wish that no divinations be made on his behalf. Honoring his wishes his body was returned to the Glade of Life. Two days later Torack returned and was free to join with Jastra as now only Jessum remained and she consented to the union, although reluctantly.

Jastra and Torack were wed and soon they begat a child, Dorian Brindale Leafthorn. It wasn’t long after the birth that questions arose around the death of my grandfather and the acceptance by Jessum on the union. Jessum appeared to suddenly voice objection to Jastra’s union with Torack and she bore no memory of her consent. The elders cast divinations on her behalf and discovered that Jessum was influenced by magic in her acceptance of Torack. This now raised concerns on the circumstances of Grandfather’s death. Torack needed to be watched!

Elf spies in the Ashwood Forest followed Torack and discovered a plot to steal from the wood elves deep in the forest and he was using Jastra to meet this end. The spies reported back to Raviline Elders and it was decided that the Union of Torack and Jastra be annulled and to protect Jastra from future enchantments she would be re-wed in a prearranged union. The child, Dorian, would remain in the village to be raised by Jastra and her new husband, Respin.

As time passed, I grew, never knowing the truth of what happened years earlier, I considered Respin my own father and Jastra my mother. As I entered puberty some very distinct non-elf features began to surface and mannerisms that were not elf like. My stature led to ridicule and segregation from many others of the village. I approached my mother about these problems and soon the whole story was passed on to me, though the exact nature of what Torack did and planned to do was not.

It became apparent that my place was not here in Raviline. Torack lived south near Melfesh; it is there that I intend to travel to learn the truth of Torack. Mother pleaded for me to not go, it would be too dangerous Torack is a dangerous man who knows what evil is in his heart. The only support I got was from Jessum, she wanted Torack dead.

Jessum was not my mother and as such had no say in Jastra’s raising of me. Respin realized the problems I was facing and my contemplation to leave the village. He consulted the elders who in turn prayed to Ketephys. Respin returned with a Terry Yart, a servant of Erastil. Respin paid Terry to teach me the ways of Erastil in an attempt to keep me from pursuing Torack. Terry’s price was high but where his son was concerned, no cost was too high.

The pressures of my mixed heritage lay heavy on the Brindale family, and pressure from the elders to produce true elven heirs to the family name brought even more hardship to the family. Eventually, Jastra and Respin bore two more children, twins named Galentheous and Nith Falor. I worked hard to keep to my studies, and ways of Erastil proved interesting, I seemed poised to enter the priesthood. Money became tight and my teachings would have to be stopped. Terry saw promise in me and it was decided that Terry would take me with him to a larger temple and have me placed as a full acolyte of Erastil. Jastra objected at first but later agreed due to pressure from the elders and Terry agreed to no longer accept payment.

Terry and I went to the temple of Erastil in Melfesh, of course I could not say it was a larger temple in this rather small hamlet, here I learned more of the ways of Erastil, but now the knowledge of where I was, and the name of Torack still weighing heavy on my mind, I decided that the priesthood was not for me. Terry confided in me that he brought me here to give me the opportunity to find Torack and what I did when I found him would be my final test of Terry’s teachings. Terry sent me on my way to Korvosa, which is where Torack is most likely to be. I will forever be grateful to Terry and to this day consider him a friend.

Terry realized that the road to Korvosa is not an easy road to travel alone. Melfesh is a town of rangers and guides so Terry put me under the care of Jacob, another half-elf and member of Pathfinders.

Jacob was trained in the teachings of Erastil as well as the secrets of the lands from his upbringing in Melfesh. Jacob taught me much about the lay of the land, Jacob was a good mentor showing me all that I needed to know about surviving in the wilderness. Jacob told me that because of my mixed heritage I might find it difficult to be accepted in many communities.

On the road to Korvosa, Jacob and I happened upon a caravan in apparent ruin, smoke was billowing from one of the wagons, and the other overturned and its contents ransacked. All clues indicated that this was an Orc raid. Among the ruins I was able to pick out a wounded survivor, an elf woman. I tended to her using the healing skills Terry had taught me; apparently the Orcs left her for dead, while Jacob searched for more signs of Orcs.

The elf girl was named Karma and she only spoke elf. Karma told me that orcs did not attack the caravan; rather it was human mercenaries under an Orc banner. A man that knew much of elf ways and their merchant caravan routes led them. The man she described was Torack.

Jacob and I escorted Karma to Korvosa; I brought her to the temple of Erastil where her wounds were healed. I mentioned my association with Terry and was able to get away without paying for the healing. Karma and I saw much of each other for the next several weeks as I always found reason to check her condition. Jacob said that it might not be wise to continue my relationship with her, as it will not look favorable to the elf communities of Korvosa.

Jacob introduced me to the pathfinders, and soon I was brought in. I remained as a student of Jacob for the next couple of years and Jacob supported me in my union to Karma. Jacob was right, the elf communities and emissaries from the region objected publicly to the union. A deal was struck and in return for our union, neither karma nor I may call the Ashwood Forest home. I soon discovered that also that we were no longer found to be in favor of the church of Erastil, (due mostly to political pressure from the Elf communities), my love for Karma was all I had.

About a year after the birth of my son, Fin, overcrowding and unsanitary conditions, plague struck Korvosa. My son Fin was still quite young and showed many signs of a strong constitution for he seemed able to fend off the sickness, but Karma was not so lucky. I pleaded with the priests but with the suffering so widespread and the limited abilities of the priesthood there was a pecking order for healing and with my past choices I knew where I stood. Karma passed; long before the priests would come to our part of town.

I began to have a loathing for the church at my loss blaming both them and myself for what had happened to Karma, cursing Erastil and the church publicly. The church had me excommunicated for my sins against Erastil and the church. My only source of guidance now was Jacob; Terry was too far to assist. I took some of the monies I had gathered and gave Fin to Jacob with instruction to take him to Jessum in Raviline since I was barred from entering due to the agreement with the elves to allow my union with Karma. Jacob was instructed to say that Fin was his so that he would be allowed to enter. I never saw Fin or Jacob again.

I fell into a deep depression, drinking and gambling trying to survive. The streets of Korvosa are unforgiving and soon found myself without a home and without friends, all of my training lost to a blur of drink and a drug known as Shiver. I saw shadows where there were none, and missed them where shadows did lay. It was during these dark times that I met my supplier, Gaedren Lamm. He constantly fed my addiction giving what I wanted for small favors here and there. only the gods probably know how many lives I destroyed during this time

The last of my coins was destined for more ale, when one of those shadows I thought I would see was in fact a member of the town guard. I was thrown into the drunk-tank for the night to sleep off my intoxication. Upon my release in the morning I made my way to the river where I might find Gaedren Lamm, and more of the shiver I seemed to now be addicted to. My daze was interrupted by a splash and scream of a child.

A boy had fallen into the water; my mind went blank of rational thought and immediately instincts kicked in. I dived in and brought the boy to the edge, he was screaming of flesh eating eels and I felt their bite as well. The pain raced through my body but was able to push the boy to dry land. I managed to climb out myself before succumbing to the eel’s poison. My orginal hope was to send the boy off to Lamm as a payment for more of what I needed most.

Perhaps it was fate that intervened or perhaps Erastil herself, but in my unconcious state the boy managed to fetch his father who came to my rescue.

The boy’s name was Fran and was the son of Sieger, an arms master and well-respected weapons trainer in Korvosa. Sieger was overjoyed at his son’s return and promised to repay the favor if ever he could. It was at this point I realized what I was doing to myself and what I would be doing to Fin in the future. I sought the Pathfinders once more to get myself straight. The pathfinders never abandoned me and in no time, I was back on me feet.

I sobered up, and was soon back to my prime, at least as close as possible. I completed a few minor missions for the lodge mostly against the orcs from the east, and whenever I could I would stop and see Terry in Melfesh and share my adventures with other guides there. I managed to learn the Orc language from lodge members in Korvosa, which proved useful in my missions. As the years passed I became more proficient in my skills with a bow and my ability to survive in the wild.

I learned a few lesser-known trails to allow faster travel between cities and managed to befriend a few of the Elven Druids of the region.

Now I have my life back on track though I have not fully recovered from my addictions and still to this day suffer from the damage caused to my body from the drugs. Perhaps someday I will see my son and I can only pray to Erastil that he will forgive me. In the meantime I seek to restore my relationship with the church and once again gain the good graces of Erastil.

But there is on last pressing matter that I now felt obligated to correct; the end of the man who almost destroyed me and is still destroying others, Gaedren Lamm.

(Note: Dorian could be considered a fallen cleric of Erastil seeking atonement but he is a ranger first and foremost having taken that profession after his fall from the church)