Laird was born the only son to Arem, a weaver, and Jerend, a woodsman. Neither strong nor dexterous like his father the young Laird struggled to keep up with his parents life of manual labors as part of the community of Kessen. Despite his lack of skill he proved to be a shrewd observer, a resilient worker and had a knack with animals. Most of all the young Laird was sweet and had a voice that delighted all who heard him.
In time Arem grew frail with sickness and Jerend became less and less a father. There were late nights at the guildhall and shadowy conversations with Colbin Vetnar. There were heated conversations and long absences with Grimscar the half-orc on shipments. There was no hitting or casual abuse, only a fading of the flame of life as the man's truest love slowly dimmed as it was replaced with something harder and less kind.
Laird did his best to make money for the family but came upon hard times himself. Awkward in his youth the boy invited mockery from others his age and in time, withdrew from much of the world, content to do his work in peace, singing to himself and the creatures he would encounter.
Arem passed and Jerend soon followed, his grief the bitterest and deadliest of poisons. It was in his passing that Jerend revealed that even the hardest face he had put on was still but a facade to hide his fear.
Left with little means and an enduring work ethic, Laird took to his work anew but his songs were sad and the creatures of his little world grew sad in turn. Vetnar took all that Laird produced and offered little in compensation claiming it was "for the good of the guild" and that Laird needed to "make things right" when talking of fees and debts that Jerend had accrued in his time in the guild. Life was hard but Laird endured, working as best he could.
As time moved Laird did his best to reach out little by little to the world of Kessen around him. The bard Jocyn Elmaran was found wounded and Laird contributed wood to warm his room and some time sang to him as he struggled with his injuries. In time the man would sing along, teaching Laird to hone his music from raw talent to practiced skill.
Laird found kindness in the likes of Golofind Kir and often would share stories of the creatures of the forest with guardsmen who always seemed to smile and always seemed interested. Laird knew that Golofind was not all that other men might be in the head but he did not care.
Still life was hard work with only occasional bouts of anything approaching happiness. Laird could not help but withdraw to the wild and avoided most folks save for Golofind or Jocyn and even then he could not consider himself close to either. In truth the work was grueling and Vetnar's fees were high so the young man had to spend most of his time working to "make things right".
Then one night, while piling his latest cuttings and humming a somber tune, Laird felt a sensation he had not experienced in years; a sense of warmth and connection. In the distance a young man, no older than Laird, walked along the forest in awe of the world around him. The youth's gossamer clothes covered little yet he seemed unconcerned. Laird felt connected to this young man and approached him. In truth it was Laird's first encounter with his gift.
Over time Laird came to name the young man "Woodruff" for his mother's favorite flower. Laird came to understand more and more that Woodruff was from another place but came to Laird a boon companion, linked across all the world, the fastest of friends and allies. Woodruff was strong and imposing where Laird was not, yet just as the young son of a woodsman meant to do good work and be a good person, it was clear Woodruff was the same. Together they felt invincible and though Woodruff was a simple creature in mind, it was clear he was fierce at heart, ready to follow the gentle Laird wherever he might go.
It was Woodruff that stood behind Laird when he told Vetnar that he was done "making things right" and that he was now his own man and done with his father's debts. It was Woodruff who helped double Laird's work and aided in cutting and moving the wood. Woodruff became Laird's constant companion, never long in the leaving and always returning the next day.
Time has passed since then and Laird now knows his gifts are greater than those of a simple woodsman. With every song he sings to bring Woodruff back to him the young man senses that there is power in his friend and that some good might be done. Yet in his heart he still feels a meekness, and unsureness of self and awaits an opportunity to prove what these two friends can accomplish together...
