About Khale d'AnlynKhale
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Pitons (20) 2 gp, 10 lbs
Wandermeal (20 servings) 0.2 gp. 10 lbs Cold-weather outfit 8 gp; 7 lbs ========== Background Khale was born in a small village near Augustana, a port on the Inner Sea and the second largest city in Andoran. His birth was seen as a blessing – before having him, his parents prayed to Shelyn to honor their love for one another with a child. When Khale was born, his parents were ecstatic to have a son, and especially one of obvious angelic heritage. Neither could figure out where the features came from, though Khale's father quickly gave credit to his wife. Khale grew up in the village and learned many things from his father; the value of hard work, honesty, and integrity. His father was a metalworker, and Khale learned that many people in the village regarded his father as a man of high character. He would learn as he grew older that his father was actually a village Elder, one of the men responsible for the well-being of the community, known for his patient demeanor. Khale’s mother was a seamstress, though her passion was singing. Her songs filled their small home where she worked, and he could not remember a time when her voice was silent for long. She was frequently asked to sing at festivals and on holidays, and always relished these opportunities. Khale was a good-natured child, and rarely got in trouble. His parents never punished him too severely, as both knew he was was a kind boy who was simply testing his boundaries rather than enacting any sort of mean-spirited rebellion. His most difficult part of childhood was not understanding that his parents did not share his enhanced visual sense, and he would often stay out later than his curfew. At one festival, Khale noticed a man and woman enjoying the festivities, both clad in shining armor and carrying long staves with sharpened blades on the end. His father informed him that the two were followers of Shelyn, the Goddess of love and music. Apparently the two were passing through on their way to Augustana and were encouraged to stay and hear Khale’s mother perform. She did not disappoint. Her voice was clear and strong, and carried her song across the meadow. After she finished, the two knights approached her and were very complementary. Khale’s father invited them to stay the night, and having no other plans, the knights accepted. That evening, before dinner, Khale went outside to get firewood. He saw that the man and woman had removed their armor, but both were standing in a strange pose while holding their weapons aloft. As he watched, they began moving slowly in a strange pattern. Their feet shifted, then their waist, then they twisted their arms, bringing their glaives down in a diagonal line in front of their bodies. This continued for a time. The knights finished their routine, then started another – this one was much faster and much more intricate. Khale had never seen anything like it. The glaives spun around the warriors faster than his eye could follow, and both of them were gyrating around one another so closely he was sure one was going to be injured at any moment. When they stopped, the knights shared a smile, then finally noticed Khale watching. He hurried off to fetch the wood, knowing that whatever he had just witnessed had been absolutely amazing. As dinner finished, the knights excused themselves leaving Khale with his parents. Both his father and mother took his hands, then informed him that he would be going with the knights. His father told him that as part of their prayer to Shelyn for a child, they also promised to share the child with Shelyn. His father continued by telling Khale he would always be their son, but he was old enough now to begin to fulfill the rest of the vow. Khale would leave with the knights and act as their squire until such time as he was of age and could decide what path he would follow. If, after his service to the knights, he wished to return home, his parents would welcome him with open arms, and he would always have a place in the village. Though Khale was saddened by the news of leaving his parents, his youthful exuberance was running wild. He would get to leave the village and learn how to be a knight! He excused himself and stayed up most of the night packing his belongings, eager to start his journey. The next morning was the first of several years acting as the knights’ squire. Both of them were kindly people who were part of something called the Pathfinder Society. The traveled around the Inner Sea, asking questions, meeting with people, and investigating forgotten ruins. Occasionally they would be involved in a fight, but most of the time, the knights tried to avoid conflict whenever possible. Each day, one of the knights would spend an hour educating Khale about various topics; history, surviving in the wilderness, proper speech and etiquette were some of the topics. After his education period, the other knight would spend an hour teaching him how to fight properly. He learned how to use small and large blades, hammers and maces, crossbows and longbows. Khale was also taught the correct way to adjust and wear armor, first learning about the lightest and loosest suits, and moving up until he was comfortable with the heaviest plate armor. Through his travels, he also saw how the knights tried to live by the tenets of their faith. They always tried to see the good in people, knowing that beauty sometimes rests beneath the surface. And they appreciated the hard work of the cook in the small town just as much as the best chef in Almas. Both, the knights said, were using the gifts that Shelyn gave them to provide for others – such a selfless act was just another form of love. Khale also learned how the knights’ relationship differed from that of his parents. The knights were both formal, and rarely spoke of their affection. He never even saw them hold hands in a romantic way. Such behavior was a huge contrast to that of his birth parents who were quite affectionate with each other, and would always go out of their way to display their love for one another. Both of the knights were keenly aware of this, and while Khale had many questions about Shelyn’s dogma, they always took time to answer his questions honestly and faithfully. After five years of traveling with the knights, Khale was brought before the High Priestess of Shelyn in Absalom to receive her formal blessing. Though he was released from service, his path had become clear. At the knights suggestion, and with their sponsorship, Khale joined the Pathfinder Society as an initiate. He returned home to spend a month with his parents before his training started, both of whom were astounded to see how much he had grown in the time away. His father closed his shop for the first time (but only for a day!) to spend time with Khale, and the young man had trouble avoiding the many hugs his mother had for him. As the month ended, Khale promised to write, as well as visit when he could. |
