Tsadok Aeris's page

About Tsadok Aeris

Tsadok was born under auspicious signs, in the heat of midday in the country of Rahadoum. The midwife assisting Tsadok's mother with the birth has stated that the room seemed to glow with a more than natural radiance as Tsadok came to be, and that the birth was completely painless for the mother.

Tsadok grew into a child and seemed to have a way with people. He was charismatic and loyal, lived as his parents told him to, and grew a sprightly yet physical youth. His love for life and others grew unbounded.

One day while playing in the streets of Azir he found a small dog whimpering in an alley. Tsadok approached the dog, which snarled and backed away whimpering in pain. Tsadok saw that the dog, no more than a pup, had a broken leg, which it was doing its best to hide. Seeing this Tsadok was filled with sadness and reached out to the dog. It bit him, several times, but he continued until he had it held. Gently picking it up he took it home and cared for it, nursing it back to health.

The pup grew into a dog over time and was well cared for by Tsadok. Its leg had healed, but did not move properly. And one day the dog, which Tsadok still had not named, became very ill. This illness was beyond Tsadoks knowledge of medicine and disease. Desparate he took the dog to an old man, said to be an alchemist who could heal almost any affliction.

This man, his name erased from the annals of Rahadoum, mixed some tinctures and components together, but Tsadok saw him do something more. The old man had quietly touched a symbol of some sort, hidden in his robes. The dog was cured of its disease, and even had its leg healed properly, but Tsadok was curious as to what power the old man had called for. Tsadok confronted the man in his shop, demanding to know what the man had used.

This man saw something in Tsadok, and revealed himself fully, a cleric, dedicated to Sarenrae, who had been healing the people of Azir using divine magic. Tsadok begged to be taught more, however the old man did not want him to throw away his life if he was caught. Tsadok promised to keep this a secret and told the old man he would come back in a week's time to learn the mysteries of Sarenrae, regardless of the consequences.

Tsadok and his dog, now named Fireheart, for the old man's love of Sarenrae was what saved the animal, returned home for the week. Upon returning to the house the old man was nowhere to be found. Questioning the neighbors Tsadok learned that someone had overheard the old man profess to be a cleric and had called the Perfect Legion. The old man was arrested and tried of the crime of defying the Laws of Man. He declared himself guilty and was taken to execution.

Tsadok, upon hearing this, ran to the jail, Fireheart in tow, and the execution yard. He arrived in time to see the executioner's axe fall...

From that point forward Tsadok threw himself into training martially. He became distant from the world and worked only at perfecting his swordwork. He didn't know why, but he took to the scimitar very quickly. It felt natural for him. During this time he almost managed to forget about the old man... Almost.

This continued until he joined the Perfect Legion, gaining training and expertise, learning to fight and how to root out hidden religious cults. This continued for years, until Tsadok could no longer live with his guilt. He ran that night, out into the streets trying to bottle his guilt, his shame at being the cause of the old man's death.

A cry from the side broke his reverie, and he saw a young woman being attacked by someone with a knife. He ran to her side to fight off the attacker, but not before she was brutally stabbed. He dispatched the knife-wielder quickly and then did his best to staunch the bleeding of the woman. She thanked him, as she lay dying in his arms. Grief, greater than any he ever knew consumed him, and he cried out to anyone who would listen to help him, to help this woman, to give her some hope.

Tsadok was answered, but not from without, instead from within. Glowing energy poured from his hands, looking like a pure white fire that encapsulated the woman and her wounds, healing her and filling her with life's pure energy. The woman awoke within his arms and said, "My name is Nanya." Tsadok was too shocked by what he had done to respond...until Nanya kissed him and whispered, "Thank you."

"A Pure Legionnaire is practicing divine magic!" The shout came from nowhere and everywhere, breaking the moment for Tsadok and Nanya. Tsadok helped Nanya up and told her to go home, to leave as he prepared to leave the city. His mind awirl Tsadok only barely caught Nanya telling him to come back for her. He promised he would before bolting to the home he rented with his Legionnaire's stipend. As always Fireheart was waiting for him, though he could tell by Tsadok's demeaner that something had happened.

"Come Fireheart, we must flee before the Perfect Legion gets to us." Tsadok shoveled what he could into his beaten backpack, strapped his scimitar firmly into place again and bolted out the door, Fireheart at his heels. Tsadok and Fireheart made it to the city gates before the Perfect Legion could stop them, then they were on the run.

For weeks they ran from the Perfect Legion, only staying a day or so ahead of the Legion. Eventually Tsadok and Fireheart made it into the Napsune Mountains. Climbing the slopes together they were able to evade the Perfect Legion more easily. Running low on food and resources Tsadok tried to call the power from within him again to sustain Fireheart and himself. He was unable to do so, and the pair continued on tired, hungry, on the verge of collapse, but with no sign of the Perfect Legion behind them.

Tsadok and Fireheart left the mountains proper and headed into the foothills when they saw something peculiar. It was a beam of light, leading from the sun to a spot just to the east. Curious, the pair followed the beam until they found a large building, seemingly empty of inhabitants. Pulling out his scimitar to be safe Tsadok ventured inside, Fireheart by his side.

The inside of the building was massive, much larger than it looked on the outside, and built like a temple. Arrayed before the two was a bountiful feast, though no participants could be seen. Fireheart ran forward and began to eat. Tsadok tried to stop him, but gave into the temptation of food himself, starved as he was.

After the two had eaten their fill they passed out on some cushions that seemed to have been left to that affect. The two slept deeply and so great was their exhaustion only the rising of the dead could wake them.

This was how Tsadok awoke. A warm radiance was glowing on his face, and continued to get warmer and brighter until he had no choice but to wake. Looking at the source of the radiance Tsadok saw before him the old man!

"But...how?...I...I'm sorry" Tsadok stated in shock. "If I knew you would be killed for helping me I never would have asked you about your teachings." All of the guilt that had become pent up in Tsadok came rushing out as he apologized to the old man. The old man himself said nothing until Tsadok had finished speaking.

"Think it was your fault, eh? Don't give me that, I knew what I was doing was dangerous, and where I was doing it made it doubly so. Don't you speak now! Just listen. Turns out Sarenrae herself has need of a champion right now, a healer, and someone to go look for those seeking redemption in the world. You've made yourself qualified for the job when you spent all that time working your sword arm and healing that girl, Nanya. Don't look at me like that, I haven't been watching you, just been told all this meself. You're in one of the few places dedicated to worship of the gods in all of Rahadoum, the Last Temple if you will. Don't know how you want to go about doing this, but open your heart and Sarenrae will answer, and give you direction where you are needed. I'll check in now and again to make sure you're still following the way, but don't expect much. Good luck, and may Sarenrae's flames guide you."

The old man disappeared, as did the nimbus of light. Tsadok fully woke to find Fireheart staring in his eyes. The animal seemed to say "You know what we have to do." Tsadok knelt down, scimitar in his hands and examined his life. He couldn't go back. He looked forward. He didn't have a clue where to be. So he did as the old man bade, and opened his heart. Inside he found Sarenrae, her warmth and her light. Her purifying fires and redemption called to him.

The next day, Tsadok left, Fireheart at his side, scimitar freshly sharpened, with a new purpose in his stride. His next place of calling: Absolum, the city at the center of the world.