Taemin Swallowtail's page

Taemin was born in the outskirts of the Mierani Forest, though both his parents were killed when he was the young age of 17 in AR 4606 during the Great Storms when Aroden died. He was however swiftly adopted by his elder cousin, Glelfin, who he considers his true father - memories of his birth parents are few and far between.

Glelfin ended his campaigns into Celwynvian and began sailing to nearby regions in about AR 4618, leaving Taemin for short times. As these trips grew longer Taemin pleaded to go along, but was always refused. Glelfin gave up his journeys in AR 4629 and resettled with Taemin in the Elven enclave in Korvosa.

Shocked and excited to go from a remote elven forest to a bustling human city, Taemin found himself a great deal of trouble in his long youth. Not content to remain in the enclave, and not always the brightest of Desna's stars, he was often led astray by humans intrigued more by his ears than by him. He often tried his respected father's near infinite patience, and though he listened, he failed to heed his wise counsel.

Taemin spent much of his time running the Shingles around town with other children, and it was through this that he came to gaze upon the Academie, Korvosa's monument to Wizardly learning. He became slowly fascinated with the wizards and conjurers, memorizing and repeating their strange arcane words, carefully picking out their bold intonations. Obsessed, he finally applied to the Academie in AR 4671 and was swiftly accepted, and his father was even more swiftly billed for his tuition. Somewhat enraged, Glelfin attempted to talk Taemin out of going, but his stubbornness held, and he entered the Academie.

Unfortunately for Taemin, for all his studying of wizardly demeanor and speech, he hadn't the barest conception of the workings of magic, and not the least bit of talent. In fact, his bold, exaggerated phrasing brought him the greater ridicule when anything but the simplest of cantrips failed miserably.

Taemin was taken by the Hall of Charms, the school of enchantment, and held entranced for literally months while several elder students attempted to develop magical formulas that better penetrated elven resistances, some even managing to put him to Sleep for brief moments. Forced to clean the Hall, as well as perform other unpleasant duties, in the end an instructor from the Hall of Wards took pity and helped him escape.

Bewildered, frightened, and ashamed, Taemin stayed in the Shingles of North Point and spiraled down into the criminal life there. He sought some small solace in the haze of drugs to match the enchantments put on him during his captivity. He worked as an enforcer at times. He often fell ill from lack of care.

By the time he thought to return to the elven enclave his father had left, from shame he was told, leaving only a sword behind. Few elves would speak to him, let alone house him. Returning angrily to North Point, he was swiftly imprisoned for Robbery, serving a brief (for an elf) 8 year sentence.

Once out again he struggled to rebuild his life. Unfortunately he was enticed by a new drug, Shiver, that returned him to the dreaded yet desired sleep induced at the Academie. He met a man named Gaedren Lamm who gave him a far too potent dose, robbed him, and left him for dead.

Brought before Zenobia Zenderholm, the "Hanging Judge", Taemin thought his life had come to an end. But a cleric of Abadar interceded on his behalf after speaking with him. In exchange for his father's sword*, the priest brought him into the temple where he worked, then studied carefully the last few years to control his body, his mind, and his warring soul.