Kieran Samkil's page

Kieran was born as the third son to a family of six on the southern edge of Falcon’s Hollow, near the river. His father was an offshoot of the Samkil family - not close enough to be considered true family, but their heritage was connected nonetheless. From a young age, he seemed far more eager to spend time playing among the woods to the north, rather than chop them down with his father and brothers. His appreciation of the woods caught the attention of a group of people who lived in the western half of the woods. One day, before his father and brothers had left for their work, two of the men approached his father. The rough bow and arrow sewn into the hem of their cloaks revealed them to be some of the few followers of Erastil, the Old Deadeye. Kieran never learned what was said that day, for his father talked for a short while with them, nodded, and went inside the house for a few minutes. Upon returning, he was carrying a small pack filled with more than a few items. He approached Kieran, gave him a hug, and told him he would be joining the Deadeye paladins, and that it was an honor to have him as a son. To an eleven year old though, this isn’t exactly comforting. After a few minutes attempting to coax him into going, his father gave up with a soft approach, and picked him up, carried him over to the men, who had mounted. His father placed him in front of one of the men, and waved him goodbye as Kieran rode into the distance.

Kieran did not have time to mourn, however, as the paladins were intent on his training into a shining example of their order. He learned to appreciate the few breaks he got, but still did not have the time to see his family until his twentieth birthday. The days were filled with learning to hunt, ride, and become a master of the bow. His evenings were filled with lessons on bow making, diplomacy, and nature’s medicinal remedies. He learned how to allow the powers of their god to flow through him, allowing him to sense malicious intent in others. During this time, friends were few - there was only two other boys his age, which led to the three of them becoming fast friends. Growing up together, he quickly grew to become the tallest of the three, his combination of Cheliax and Taldane blood giving him a fair complexion and brown hair, an appearance that could only be defined as Andorian.

After just over a year with the paladins, he was brought along by the paladins for a supply run to a small town named Belran near the temple, which the paladins protected in exchange for vegetables, flour and trade. The game in the forest around the temple could only cover so much. While he was there, his two friends introduced him to a strange silver-haired girl named Lorelei. (It took Kieran longer than he would ever admit to realize that she had pointed ears, and must be a half-elf.) She loved to tinker with things, and shortly after being introduced, she pulled them over to her mother’s workshop, where she had come up with a strange device. At least, to Kieran it was strange, he didn’t understand what it did at all. The two other boys left shortly after, wanting to use some of their free time in the town to goof off - something they rarely got to do at the temple. Kieran stayed behind though, determined to understand how Lorelei could just look at a pile of scrap metal and wood and see a new tool.

Over the years, he became close friends with Lorelei, visiting her workshop every time they went for another supply run to town. In just a short amount of time, she had become one of the brightest inventors of their age (at least, in Kieran’s humble opinion). He taught her the ways of his order as he was taught them, and she was fascinated. She viewed her time in town as boring. She wanted to see the outside world, but believed the only way out was to join the Erastil paladins. As they grew, it became quite clear to his friends that Kieran was quick to talk, but not nearly as quick to think. His lack of forethought got them into quite a bit of trouble, but his fast tongue got them out of just as much.

After Kieran said his oaths, becoming a true paladin, he returned to town to let Lorelei know. She was excited for him, and begged for him to try to get her into the order. He was hesitant at first, but did as she asked. They declined her almost immediately, claiming she was too old. Lorelei wouldn’t let it stand, and demanded a chance to prove herself. The chance was granted, but she could barely draw the tough composite bow. Kieran was pulled aside by one of the older paladins and informed that he was chosen to join the convoy for the capital.

With less than a year as a full paladin under his belt, he was sent out with a convoy of other Deadeye paladins, away from his comrades to the city of Almas, for a meeting with the Supreme Elect. Upon arrival, they were quickly lead to the central meeting chambers, where they were promptly informed of Cheliax’s attempts to spread their slave trade back into Andoran’s borders. Kieran was furious at this, a viewpoint shared by the other paladins. They asked how they could help, and were informed of an attempt to subvert Cheliax’s ruling class by causing uprisings among their cities, leading to the fall of their control, and the creation of another country following the Common Rule.

All paladins present immediately offered their assistance in this noble effort. They were quickly briefed on which city they were assigned to then given a map of both cheliax and the city. Upon returning back for supplies from the temple, Kieran was pulled aside by one of his old friends, who said that Lorelei had come back for a second chance to prove herself with a homemade musket, nonetheless, and been turned away again, when Erastil refused to bless her.

Kieran immediately made up his mind then and there, that if the order would not give her a way to get out of Belran, he would. He mounted up and rode there as fast as he could, finding her in her workshop. He told her of the mission he was going on, and said he could use her help. After all, if she can use the musket, she might even be able to defend herself better than he could. She jumped to her feet, and ran to the back room, returning within minutes with a hastily packed bag.

Kieran and Lorelei joined a small group that was sent through the Aspodell mountains by way of mountain pass. After a few days of travel, they were safely over the border, where they met a man with which to leave their horses, so that they wouldn’t arouse suspicion. Shortly after, they all split off into groups of two, with Kieran heading northwest, towards Kintargo, where there were rumors of a rebellion already brewing.

Kieran immediately realized how much he hated cities upon his first night in Kintargo. Other cities may be different, but this one was loud. At times, you could hear guards shouting at the few people still on the streets as curfew approached. He was to meet a few contacts that Andoran had in the city, so he told Lorelei and left. No one ever met him at the meeting place, but they luckily had two other locations to meet in case of emergency over the next few days. Every place he went to, no one else showed, and one location was burned to the ground meer hours before he was supposed to be there. That night, after investigating the burned down building and dodging guards as best he could, he met with Lorelei back at the inn.She was different. She was angrier than Kieran had ever seen her. She wouldn’t talk about what she had witnessed, but she was more intent than ever on liberating the citizens.

As Kieran left her room, returning his, he thought on what he choices left were. He came to the conclusion that his only hope now was the rebel group the Silver Ravens. When Kieran arrived to his room, he found the door unlocked. His weapons were both in the room, so he was unarmed. He slowly opened the door, on guard. No one was in there, and nothing appeared to have been taken. He breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that he must have just stupidly left it unlocked. Then he noticed something HAD changed. There was a note on his bedcovers. Upon reading it, he realised that he hadn’t been as discreet as he had thought. If this note was to be believed, the Silver Ravens may have already found him. The note told him to meet a human man with a black leather glove on his right hand in Aria park during the protest the next day if he wished to meet the Silver Ravens.

The note may be a trap, but Kieran has no choice. He locks his door and goes to sleep, so that he will be well rested for whatever may happen tomorrow.